This is page numbers 4635 - 4688 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was know.

Topics

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that if a Member is removed from a committee, the $2,000 stipend would be removed and prorated to the date of removal. If they become a Member of another committee, the stipend would be reinstated once they become a Member of that committee. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I support this motion.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Board of Management review the workload of all standing committees every two years and, if necessary, reassign Members to rebalance the Members' workload. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the Board of Management does not assign Members to committees or review their workload. This work is done by the committees themselves, Regular Members, and Caucus. As such, I recommend that this recommendation be defeated. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. I think this was probably the result of perhaps just a misunderstanding on the part of the Commission Members. The Board of Management doesn't determine committee membership. And the balance, that's really up to the Regular MLAs ourselves to do with regard to the standing committees. We do that work, and we do it -- you know, we've done it a couple of times, more than that even in the lifetime of this Assembly, where we've had Members -- new Members arrive as a result of by-elections and we just kind of assess people's interests and then assign people. People can volunteer to serve on various committees. And the Board of Management, though, is a different creature. There's representation from both Cabinet and the Regular MLAs on there, and they're the ones that create the rules for us and look at how the building and the institution itself operates. But it's really up to the Regular MLAs to determine membership of our own standing committees.

With regard to special committees, sometimes they include Cabinet representation and where they do, those are discussed at Caucus, and then nominations come forward to the floor of the House. So that's another area that the Board of Management really doesn't get involved in. So I agree with my colleague from Hay River South that I will vote against this. But I know that the work is still done by the Regular MLAs themselves and through Caucus. Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Anyone abstaining? The motion is defeated.

---Defeated

Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this Assembly recommend that the deputy chair for all the committees, with exclusion of the deputy chair of the Committee of the Whole, receive a stipend of $3,000.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Hay River South.

Rocky Simpson

Rocky Simpson Hay River South

Madam Chair, the deputy speaker is the chair of Committee of the Whole. The deputy chair receives a stipend for that position and does not receive any additional stipend for chairing the Committee of the Whole. There are two deputy chairs for the Committee of the Whole who are each entitled to receive a stipend for their roles as deputy chairs. I disagree that the workload for deputy chairs of standing committees is enough to warrant additional compensation. This is the only recommendation that calls for an increase in Members' compensation, and I recommend that it be defeated. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. To the motion. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I'm a bit conflicted on this one. I don't agree with us giving ourselves raises during a time such as now, when we all talk about our bad economy; however, given the nature of this Assembly and the fact that there's been so much unprecedented turmoil that oftentimes chairs have had to, you know, step aside, and I know that my colleague -- some of my colleagues have really stepped in as deputy chairs to fulfill that role. I will disclose that I am a deputy chair, and I have not had to step in too much because my chair has been very present for the social development committee. So I will support this motion. Hopefully people will not see that as being self-serving but more so that I believe some of my colleagues actually deserve this. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I'm not going to provide any comments on turmoil; I think those are probably best left to folks outside of the House and their own views. But just to be very clear, this is not about increasing or decreasing the wages of any of us sitting in this Chamber. This is about setting the rules for the next Assembly. And that's what the implications of all of these motions are. It's about changing the rules for the next people that come in after us so none of this is about us, quite frankly. So I do have some sympathy with deputy chairs and the work that they've done, and I've served as deputy chair and I've chaired many meetings even though I'm not even a deputy chair, in the course of this Assembly. But that's just part of the workload and expectations that we set for ourselves. So I will be voting against this motion. Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? Motion is defeated.

---Defeated

All right, Member for Hay River South.