Mr. Speaker, the 33 communities of the Northwest Territories are governed by a suite of territorial legislation made up of the Hamlets Act, the Charter Communities Act, and the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, all of which were enacted in 2003. Together, these statutes provide the legal authority for municipal operations in all of our communities.
The Cities, Towns and Villages Act, also referred to as the CTV Act, governs the larger communities in the Northwest Territories, including the City of Yellowknife. It provides the essential legal framework establishing a municipality and authorizing it to conduct business. It prescribes the roles and duties of the mayor, council members, and municipal employees. It sets out how records must be kept, the power of a municipality to enter into contracts, and its legal authority to own property.
The act also establishes the legislative powers of municipalities, setting out their authority to pass bylaws and placing limitations on that authority. It governs how a municipality must manage its financial affairs, including borrowing and debt management. As well, the act governs how a municipality must interact with members of the public, including provisions for public notice, voter petitions, and access to public places.
Mr. Speaker, our municipal governments do a big job. They ensure our citizens have access to vital front-line services. They keep the traffic moving, the water flowing, and they make sure our residents are safe and able to participate in programs that support vibrant community living. Municipalities need all the help they can get from this government. They deserve to operate with up-to-date legislation that helps them get the job done in today's fast-paced world.
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the City, Towns and Villages Act has not had the benefit of any comprehensive review or substantive updating since it was passed 15 years ago. The act is administered by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. During the review of this department's budget, Regular Members and the Standing Committee on Government Operations have repeatedly expressed deep reservations about the ability of this department to meet its own legislative agenda.
During the review of MACA's 2016-2017 Main Estimates, the deputy minister at the time acknowledged in this House that the legislation requires a lot of amendments, including those that have been requested by the NWT Association of Communities "over the years." Mr. Speaker, Members of this Assembly are growing increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of legislative change from this government. Above all, we are put here by our constituents to do the job of passing legislation. Let's get on with the CTV Act amendments, and let's get our cities, towns, and villages the help that they need. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.