David Ramsay

Thank you, Madam Chair. If the vehicle was located in a territorial park it would be the parks legislation that would take precedence. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is Ms. Kelly Kaylo, assistant deputy minister at ITI and to my left is Ms. Lucy Austin with the legislation and drafting division at the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to present Bill 2, An Act to Amend the Territorial Parks Act.

The first amendment is in relation to fire restrictions in territorial parks.

Additional authority is needed, as a matter of safety for parks users and to prevent damage to the park. The proposed changes now provide ITI with the ability to issue restrictions and bans with respect to fires in all territorial parks, and for regulation-making power to prohibit or regulate the setting, use and extinguishing of fires.

This proposed amendment relates to safety precautions and procedures for regulating...

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Hawkins on Wednesday, March 6, 2013, regarding the Tlicho winter road to the Fortune Minerals site.

The Department of Transportation is working with the Tlicho Government to develop a project description report for the realignment of the public winter road to an overland winter route between Behchoko, Whati and Gameti An MOU between DOT and the Tlicho Government, signed in fall 2011, re-established a steering committee to guide the development of a project description report (PDR) for the winter road realignment. PDR work includes...

Section 9 of the regulations say: The superintendent may remove or cause to be removed to a safe storage area a boat, trailer, vehicle, tent or other thing that has been left unattended in a Territorial Park for a period of more than 48 hours, and is not authorized under the terms and conditions of a park use permit. (2) The superintendent shall ensure that all reasonable care is taken in the removal of anything under subsection (1), but neither the Superintendent nor a person acting under the authority of the Superintendent is liable to an action or proceeding for or in respect to an act done...

If the vehicle was removed and done so in good faith, the Government of the Northwest Territories would not be liable for any damages to that vehicle if it was left unattended in a territorial park. I think it’s 48 hours. The government would not be liable for any damages that happened to that vehicle in its removal.

They may be able to with the help of other authorities. Parks officers wouldn’t have the capacity to run a serial number through a computer system to find out who owns it. They would have to involve other agencies.

Yes, if the Member could repeat the question, we’ll get him an answer.

It was difficult for enforcement of parking infractions where the owner of the vehicle had to be issued the ticket. The changes would mean that park officers could ticket the vehicle itself. When the charge would get to court, it would be much more likely that a charge could stick. I think that is the biggest reason for the change. It’s not directed at the owner of the vehicle, it’s the vehicle itself so as we can enforce parking in the parks much more effectively.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We had substantial consultation that took place with Aboriginal groups across the Northwest Territories and nothing in these regulations would be interpreted, or should be interpreted, so as to affect Aboriginal rights in any way. So that is in the regulations, Madam Chair. Thank you.