Yes, Madam Chair, I have with me, Mr. Richard Bargery with the Division Secretariat and Mr. Shaw Flynn, with the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Yes, I will bring in two witnesses.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is my pleasure to present to you today the Nunavut Statutes Amendment Act, 1999, which, along with the companion Division Measures Act, 1999, amends various acts so that plans and agreements relating to the establishment of Nunavut can be implemented. Together these two bills will conclude the necessary amendments required to the legislative framework of each new territory prior to April 1st. Many of these amendments are editorial in nature or formalities which now require implementation.

Madam Chair, representatives of the OIC and NTI worked closely with GNWT staff in the development of these bills and I would like to acknowledge the considerable contribution they made. The Interim Commissioner has reviewed the proposed legislative amendments, in keeping with section 76 of the Nunavut Act, and has indicated his approval of this bill in a letter dated March 11, 1999. As well, NTI has been consulted and have indicated their support in a letter dated March 1, 1999.

I will quickly summarize the amendments which are proposed with this omnibus bill. First of all, we are recommending that the Public Service Act be amended in order to ensure that GNWT employees, who will become employees of the Government of Nunavut will retain all of their terms and conditions of employment as if they were continuing to be GNWT employees. A companion amendment to the Northwest Territories Public Service Act contained in the Division Measures bill supports this and ensures a smooth transition from the GNWT side. This is an important amendment because it ensures a seamless transition of staff from one government to the other. It provides the Government of Nunavut with a skilled and capable workforce. In particular, it provides a level of assurance and security to employees during this time of transition. The Union of Northern Workers and the newly formed Nunavut Employees Union have been consulted and indicated their support. The Union of Northern Workers Act will be amended to reflect the name of the union representing the public sector workers in Nunavut, namely the Nunavut Employee Union.

Once again, both the UNW and the NAU have been consulted on these amendments and have indicated their support. The Legal Profession Act is amended so that directors of the Nunavut Bar Association form the executive of the Law Society of Nunavut until elections can be held, also to allow for temporary certification to be issued to allow employers to practise law before being certified as members of the Nunavut Bar Association. The Commissioner's Land Act and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act are amended here, as well as in the Division Measures Bill in order to provide for the transfer of interest and obligations from the GNWT to the GN for affected lands under both acts. To the Commissioner of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and the Nunavut Housing Corporation respectively. Amendments of a purely technical and editorial nature are proposed for the Income Tax Act, the Business Corporations Act, the Document Registry Act, the Interpretation Act, and the WCB Act. Madam Chair, I will conclude my opening comments now, and I welcome any comments or questions the Members may have. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Jim Antoine will be absent from the House today to attend a meeting of Premiers and aboriginal leaders in Regina, Saskatchewan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh that Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1999, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill corrects certain inconsistencies and errors in the Statutes of the Northwest Territories. The bill also deals with other matters of a minor, non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the Statutes and repeals certain statutes and statutory provisions that have ceased to have effect or will not be brought into force. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with second reading of Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1999.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Keewatin Central, that Bill 5, Nunavut Power Utilities Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Northwest Territories Power Corporation Act, as duplicated for Nunavut, to establish the Nunavut Power Corporation and to enable the Northwest Territories Power Corporation to provide services in Nunavut.

Consequential amendments are also made to a number of other acts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with second reading of Bill 5, Nunavut Power Utilities Statutes Amendment Act.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Keewatin Central that Bill 2, Nunavut Statutes Amendment Act, 1999, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill adjusts the laws of Nunavut by amending various statutes that will be duplicated for Nunavut by the Nunavut Act. All the amendments come into force on April 1, 1999.

The Nunavut Public Service Act is amended to provide that employees in the public service of the Northwest Territories who occupy positions located in Nunavut at the expiry of March 31, 1999, are employed in equivalent positions within the public service of Nunavut, and subject to the same terms and conditions of employment as previously applied.

The Nunavut Union of Northern Workers Act is renamed the Nunavut Employees Union Act, and is amended to substitute references to the Nunavut Employees Union for references to the Union of Northern Workers. Several references specific to the Northwest Territories are replaced with terms appropriate to Nunavut.

In addition, the Nunavut Public Service Act is consequentially amended to substitute a reference to the Nunavut Employees Union for a reference to the Union of Northern Workers.

The Nunavut Income Tax Act is amended to include, in the calculation of the individual's income under the Act, certain income from business with a permanent establishment in Nunavut on April 1, 1999, that was earned prior to that day. The Nunavut Income Tax Act is also amended to include, in the calculation the taxable income of a corporation with a permanent establishment in Nunavut on April 1, 1999, certain taxable income that was earned prior to that day.

The Nunavut Business Corporations Act is amended to provide that an application for rectification of an error or omission in the registration of a mortgage under the act shall be made to a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. This provision is repealed on the day the Northwest Territories Personal Property Security Act comes into force.

The Nunavut Children's Law Act is amended to replace a reference to "Judge of the Supreme Court" with a reference to "Judge".

The Nunavut Document Registry Act is amended to provide that the documents registered under the Northwest Territories Document Registry Act of the Northwest Territories are deemed to be registered under the Nunavut Document Registry Act and the applicable authorizing Act of Nunavut. This provision is repealed on the day the Northwest Territories Personal Property Security Act comes into force.

The Nunavut Interpretation Act is amended to provide that appointments made before April 1, 1999, continue to have effect in Nunavut where the original appointment indicates that the appointee is resident in a community in Nunavut and the appointee is still resident in Nunavut on April 1, 1999. Such appointments expire in accordance with their terms and the enactment governing the appointment. The Act is also amended to provide that the Northwest Territories is included in reference to both the provinces and the Yukon Territory.

The Nunavut Legal Profession Act is amended to provide that certain directors of the Nunavut Bar Association shall be the Executive of the Law Society of Nunavut until an election is held under the rules of the Law Society. The act is also amended to provide for the issuance of temporary certificates which permit members of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories to engage in the practice of law in Nunavut for two months before becoming active members of the Law Society of Nunavut.

The Nunavut Commissioner's Land Act is amended to recognize, as of April 1, 1999, that certain interests and obligations of the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories in respect of land claims situated in Nunavut are validly transferred to and held by the Commissioner of Nunavut under the laws of Nunavut.

The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act, as duplicated for Nunavut by section 29 of the Nunavut Act, is amended to recognize, as of April 1, 1999, that certain interests and obligations of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation in respect of lands situated in Nunavut are validly transferred to and held by the Nunavut Housing Corporation under the laws of Nunavut.

The Nunavut Workers' Compensation Act is amended to replace several references to "the Territories" with references to "Nunavut". Thank you, Mr. Speaker.