Thank you, Madam Chair. As Mr. Menicoche indicated, we had a pretty lively debate the last time we talked about this, and I still consistently state my position that here we’re having the recommendations looking at the forced marriages. Nobody wants to get married in this forced marriage, you know, Weledeh and Tu Nedhe. You put them together. They don’t want to be together. This is what we’re looking at, and I’ve always said that we’re talking about something very special and unique in the Northwest Territories. We’re talking about a culture and a nation of people that’s very special. If it was different, if we were somewhere maybe, but here in the Northwest Territories we are talking about this special relationship we have in the North. The culture and the nation of a people come from this land in that area and they have their own way. Sometimes that trumps the cost of living here in the North, the economic cost factors to that.

For me, I see this as a means not to disrespect the nation of people, the culture, and to honour and respect that. Otherwise, what could be said about

other regions and cultures in the North? We don’t hold them to the degree that we think they should be held. The Tlicho have stated clearly, as it shows in the books, they need an additional MLA, so for me, it needs to be, I guess, respected and listen to what the people and what their elders are saying. At first I really didn’t think that we needed 21, but when I looked at the 19 and I looked at some of the issues, then I said, no, we’ve got to go to 21. I’m going to support the motion because I think that’s the right way to go based on what I’ve been reading, reviewing and what I’ve been hearing that anytime we try to look at a nation of people or culture with some significance to it, we need to be very careful how we deal with these types of issues. I’m going to be supporting the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the amendment. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I understood that this process was completed in our last session and a decision was made. Unfortunately, we’re talking about this again, so I won’t be supporting the motion. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Madam Chair. A lot of the Members are indicating that this was already dealt with. Obviously, it’s not already dealt with; that’s why it’s back here. I think everybody knows that we have to go through three readings in order to make a decision on these things.

I like what Member Bisaro had to say about the consideration of what the Electoral Boundaries Commission had to say on culture and language. That’s what my whole point is, that that was not considered. I think what should have happened is that should have been a paramount issue. You should not eliminate a language, one of our official languages, and you don’t make decisions that will eliminate one of the official languages or cultures of this House, of this Legislative Assembly.

People seem to be confused as to how many MLAs can represent the NWT. It’s in the legislation. There’s a maximum amount. It sounds like people in here think that it just goes on forever and that the number will never stop. It stops at 24. That’s the maximum in the legislation that you can have. So that’s the most you can have. We’re nowhere near that. We’re at 19 now and moving to 21. Individuals are saying that’s $2 million, which it’s not, but that’s $2 million to add two MLAs. Again, that would be the cost of having every nation represented in here, people that represent every official language in the Legislative Assembly. That would be the cost of that.

The Member for Thebacha has said nobody has ever come up to him and said, don’t pave my street, get a new MLA. Of course no one says that. Who

would say that, right? Why would anybody ever dream to go up to an MLA and say, don’t pave my street, get another MLA. That’s ridiculous.

The point is we have to make the decision here to make that decision. I know we have to cut $30 million out of the budget. That is something we will work on. We would put this into the framework. We seem to be able to find ways to pay for a lot of things in this House, but when it comes to paying what I am asking for, pay a little money to keep a nation in this building, all of a sudden the cost is too high. We can’t possibly do this.

This is what I have a real issue with. I cannot for the life of me understand how Members of the Legislative Assembly can vote to eliminate a language and a culture that is official in the Northwest Territories. I can’t for the life of me understand that and I would like to ask for a recorded vote.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion. Mr. Robert C. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This has been a discussion that was had in the 15th and was had again in this Assembly. It’s a

good discussion and I don’t think it’s a matter of picking one group over another. I think the Electoral Boundaries Commission had done a fairly good job in going out there with the terms of reference respecting different areas and cultures of the Northwest Territories. That’s why we see such a discrepancy in the numbers today.

I, along with Mr. Blake and Mr. Moses, represent communities that have a fairly large Gwich’in/Inuvialuit population. Neither of us speaks either of the languages, but we manage to work with them well, thus we get elected. So I believe we speak for all the people.

If we had asked the Electoral Boundaries Commission to go out across the Northwest Territories and base their decisions just on numbers alone, then we’d see our territory carved up where maybe a community like Colville Lake will be part of the Mackenzie Delta. We’d have to move a lot of areas around with different groups, but we’d all be one people.

So I think they’ve done a really good job in trying to address some of our concerns. No disrespect to my two colleagues. I respect the fact that they are able to bring this motion forward. I respect both of them and the people they represent, but as in the 15th Assembly, I believe that 19 is a workable number. I think one of the Members said we have some of the smallest ridings in Canada. I truly believe that. I think that I’ve got 1,700. It might go to 1,900 if it changes. I should know every one of them by their first names. We are always fairly easy to get hold of.

I think the NWT is well represented in the Northwest Territories, not just based on numbers but based on the people that are in here. Needless to say, I will not be supporting the amendment to the motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. To the motion. Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As others have alluded to, we have debated this previously. It is back here again for debate. Today, I just want to start off with saying I do have a great deal of respect for both Members that have brought forward this motion, the Member for Tu Nedhe, the Member for Monfwi as well as the Member for Weledeh. This is a difficult situation to be in. Any time we look at adding seats to this Legislative Assembly, we run into some firm opposition. There are some out there that think adding seats, whether they are outside of Yellowknife or in Yellowknife, is a good thing, but the majority of people that I’ve spoken to here in Yellowknife, I would have to say that most people do not want to see more politicians. For that reason, my decision remains to support the 19 Members. I will not be able to support the motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. To the motion.

All those opposed to the motion, please stand.

The results of the vote are in favour of the motion, 6; opposed, 11. The motion is defeated.

---Defeated

To the schedule as amended.

Thank you. Now we return to page 1, Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Clause 1.

---Clauses 1 through 3 inclusive approved

Bill as a whole.

Does the committee agree that Bill 18 is ready for third reading as amended?

---Bill 18 as amended approved for third reading

Thank you. Bill 18 is now ready for third reading as amended. One other matter, does committee agree that consideration of Tabled Document 4-17(5), Northwest Territories Electoral Boundaries Commission 2013 Final Report is concluded?

I will now rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Blake and your witness. I will ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witness from the Chamber.