Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya.

Additional Considerations

A number of other matters were raised by stakeholders. First, a community advocate asked the committee to ensure that amendments align with human rights legislation. Specifically, he sought to ensure that Aurora College students have the right to receive a copy of their tenancy

agreement. Some students have been denied this request in the past, which prevented them from voting. He further recommended ensuring that landlords do not have the right to enter student premises without notice or a police warrant. The committee noted that the act exempts student accommodations which do not have a self-contained bathroom and kitchen facilities.

Second, a Hay River constituent provided a written submission and gave an oral presentation at the public hearing. He outlined his concerns regarding the rental officer and recommended that Bill 42 be tabled until his case has been heard by the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. The committee did not consider this request reasonable. The gentleman further opposed the bill because he believes it will give the rental officer power to overturn decisions of the Supreme Court of Northwest Territories and give the rental officer the same powers as the Supreme Court of Northwest Territories. The committee noted that this is not the case. An order may be registered, and as such is fully enforceable as an order of the court. However, the order may still be challenged by application to the Supreme Court. The committee regretted that many of this individual’s concerns were outside the scope of its review.

Finally, at the Minister’s request, the committee passed a motion to address a technical concern that had been identified during the drafting process. The change will ensure that no one can file an order or decision of the rental officer, with the exception of an eviction order, with the Supreme Court until the 14-day appeal period has expired. This will allow all parties to exercise their right to appeal.

Recommended Actions

The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends the following courses of action:

1) That the Department of Justice develop a

communication campaign to ensure that stakeholders are aware of new statutory requirements;

2) That the Department of Justice establish a

definition for transitional housing in the regulations;

3) That the Department of Justice provide a

definition for transitional housing in the next round of statutory amendments and clarify its position on an exemption for this type of housing;

4) That the Department of Justice provide better

protection for transitional housing tenants against unreasonable restrictions on personal freedom and arbitrary evictions;

5) That the Department of Justice ensure that fees

are reasonable and align with fee amounts in other jurisdictions;

6) That the Department of Justice increase its

support for the rental office to ensure that applications are handled in a timely manner;

7) That the Department of Justice allow police

reports or convictions to qualify as evidence for an application for early termination due to domestic violence;

8) That the Department of Justice address the

potential for increased costs of filing with the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories by creating a separate fee schedule specific to enforcement of rental officer orders and by ensuring that Supreme Court fees are in line with existing Territorial Court fees; and

9) That the Department of Justice work with the

Department

of

Education,

Culture

and

Employment to ensure that any students who reside at Aurora College are provided with a copy of their tenancy agreement on request and therefore not unduly prevented from voting.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1

That the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this report within 120 days.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to pass the reading of the report for the conclusion to the chair of our committee, Mr. Moses. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues.

Conclusion

The Standing Committee on Social Programs thanks all stakeholders who provided comments on Bill 42 or attended the public hearing.

The committee advises that it supports Bill 42 as amended and reprinted and presents it for consideration to Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Moses.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) to have Committee Report 13-17(5), Report of the Standing Committee on Social Programs on the Review of Bill 42: An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Committee Report 13-17(5) is moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Moses. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, dated May 27, 2015.

Mr.

Speaker,

this

document

reflects

the

comprehensive review of the rules undertaken by the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures to modernize our rules and to better reflect our current practices and procedures. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to

table, for the public’s interest, a copy of a private member

’s bill I would eventually like to read into

this House. It is An Act to Amend the Mental Health Act and it’s pretty self-explanatory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a three-

page document, entitled “Micro-

brewery Taxation Models.” My office has compiled a complete regime of micro-brewery taxation models in Canada and I’ll be speaking to this on Wednesday, March 11, 2015. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Item 15, notices of motion. Mr. Bromley.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that this Legislative Assembly repeal the Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories originally adopted on April 1, 1993, and adopt the newest version of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, identified as Tabled Document 221-17(5);

And further, that the new Rules of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, upon adoption of this motion, come into effect May 27, 2015. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable

Member

for

Thebacha,

that

notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on Thursday, March 12, 2015, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, May 27, 2015;

And further, that any time prior to May 27, 2015, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Mr. Miltenberger.

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move that Bill 50, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2015-2016, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move that Bill 51, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2014-2015, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move that Bill 52, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No 3, 2014-2015, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move that Bill 53, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2015-2016, be read for the first time.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 12, 2015, I will move that Bill 54, An Act to Amend the Forest Management Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.