Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Members, we are going to take a short -- a break. Due to the -- what we're discussing here is our salaries, we have to reset for the live streaming, and we want to make sure that we continue the broadcasting. So it has to take about 15 minutes to reset because it ends at a certain period, and we don't want to end up discussing this not broadcasting. So I'm going to take a break so that we have time to do this.

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Committee, we will continue on with the motion. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Thanks, Madam Chair. I just love this place. Here we are, at -- what time is this? It's 9:30 talking about salaries for MLAs. I just gotta love this place.

Okay, I think there is a problem with this, where MLAs are talking about their own salaries, period, any time. I just think it's a no winner.

So what this motion would actually do is, and I should have -- let me take a step back. I am okay with going with a five-year rolling average. I think that it probably will even out some of the bumps and so on, but I just don't think that we should you be doing it and applying it to ourselves. It should apply to the next Assembly and that's what the effect of this motion is, is that it would change the implementation date for the five-year rolling average from I guess Thursday of week, when the Commissioner would come in and provide assent to the bills, it would change it on Friday to September the 4th. So come into effect in the next Assembly. And that's generally what we do when we consider our, you know, remuneration or things like that. We don't want it to impact our own remuneration in any way, so. And I think that's a principle. Look, and I recognize in doing this that MLAs will receive a 6.8 percent increase as of April 1st. We don't give that to ourselves; that's already in the legislation. So it's not like we're giving ourselves an increase. That's what the legislation already says. But I do think it is a problem when MLAs start to tinker and change their own salaries while they're sitting, and I think that's a no-no. And so that's why I brought this forward, Madam Chair. I don't think it's going to pass but I guess I'm a pretty principled guy and I am going to bring it forward and make everybody stand so I am going to ask for a recorded vote. Thanks, Madam Chair.

To the motion.

Question has been called. A recorded vote has been requested. All those in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand.

All those abstaining, please stand.

The results of the recorded vote are three in favour, eight opposed, four abstentions. The motion is defeated.

Clause 3, does committee agree?

Committee, to the bill as a whole, does committee agree that Bill 73, An Act to Amend the Legislative and Executive Council Act, No. 4, is now ready for third reading.

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 73, An Act to Amend the Legislative and Executive Council Act, No. 4?

Thank you, Member, and thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the chamber.

Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act. I will ask the sponsor of the bill, the Member for Thebacha to introduce the bill.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to appear today on Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act.

The amendments proposed in this Act are in response to Motion 70-19(2). Members passed that motion on November 3rd, 2023.

Madam Chair, this bill amends the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act to establish a commission within two years of the 2023 general election. Normally a commission would not be required until after the 2027 general election. However after this House rejected the recommendations from the most recent commission, it was decided to require a commission after the 2023 general election.

The Act requires a commission to be set up every second Assembly. If passed, commissions will now be created after the 2023 and 2031 general elections.

Madam Chair, the legislation already required a commission to be created within the first two years of an Assembly. The Act was left this way as part of the transition report and we recommended to the next Assembly to create the commission earlier within the first 18 months.

Bill 76 also expands the size of the commission. The commission has been three people - a current or retired judge and two public members. Members were concerned this did not provide enough room for a broader range of views on the commission.

If passed, Bill 76 expands the members from three to five people.

Bill 76 also changes who can serve as chairperson of the commission. The Act currently provides that a current or retired judge of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories chair the commission. Given limited judicial resources, this can be a challenge. Bill 76 allows for a current or sitting judge but also allows for an appointment of a person who is qualified to serve as a judge. This means a lawyer with more than ten years' experience will be eligible to serve as chair. This ensures that the commission has legal knowledge at their disposal. This is important as the commission's recommendations could ultimately affect someone's constitutionally-protected voting rights.

Finally, in recognition of concerns raised by members in the public about riding names, Bill 76 has geographic and place names as to what the commission needs to consider when electoral boundaries and names of ridings.

Finally, the bill makes minor amendments to modernize language used in the Act. This includes moving to gender-neutral language. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member, would you like to bring witnesses into the chamber?

Thank you.

Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the chambers.