Kevin O'Reilly

I thank the Minister for those aspirational statements, but I guess I'm looking for something measurable. I will give him another chance here. There are no cost estimates for any of the activities identified in the action plan attached to the strategy and, of course, there are no new funds identified in the 2017-18 budget for implementation of the strategy. Can the Minister tell us whether we have to wait another year to find the money and start some of these activities?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to move that this Assembly recommend that the Legislative Assembly’s oath of office be revised in schedule B of the Legislative Assembly, an Executive Council Act, as follows:

“I (Member’s name) do swear or affirm that

a) I am fully qualified to hold the office of the Member for the district of, to which I have been elected;

b) I have not knowingly contravened the Elections and Plebiscites Act respecting any matter in relation to my election;

c) I will faithfully, to the best of my ability, perform the duties and responsibilities of my office, and will not...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. It's not wishful thinking for me to have a Minister's Statement. Last Friday, the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment released the first-ever NWT Agricultural Strategy. This in itself is a very good thing and has the potential to help build food security and diversify our economy.

I offer some observations and recommendations having reviewed the document. I had hoped to see a more substantive effort on presenting the history of agriculture and its contribution to the NWT economy. There is nothing I could find about traditional harvesting of berries or medicines, on...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I will start with some acknowledgments of my friend the MLA from Deh Cho. I have known the Member for Deh Cho for more than 25 years, and I have the utmost respect for him. He has been a very valuable Member, and I am happy to work with him in the House committees. I regret any stress that this has caused him and his family and, certainly, that wasn’t the intention of any of our work, but I want to go on the record as saying that.

I do find it necessary to address a few of the issues that were raised by my colleagues. I recognize that everybody knows that this was...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I guess I'd like to ask through you, then, another question, if I may. I've got a couple of ideas of things that could be considered as exceptional circumstances, but I'll just go ahead and throw them out there. Somebody who may be a few days or a week short if they were caught within that five year period and an election had been called and they may be a few days short of something. Presumably that is the sort of thing that could be determined through this sort of process as an exceptional circumstance. Is that the sort of thing that could be defined in that way? Thanks, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Let us be honest here. This is the one recommendation or motion that is likely to spur quite a bit of discussion and debate, and I look forward to that. I think it is very important that all Members speak on this issue so that their views are known, and we know where everybody stands.

I would like to start by going back to the original referral motion and cast our mind back to December 17, 2015. This is shortly after we were all elected. The very first motion that we passed in this House is we wanted to refer this issue to Members' conduct to the Standing Committee on...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I neglected to indicate that I will be seeking recorded votes for each of the motions, please. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just for those that are listening or watching, what we are going to do is take the recommendations from the committee report and turn them into motions one by one. The committee motion is as follows, Mr. Chair: I move that this Assembly recommends that the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to provide that, during the election period, candidates declare compliance with a code of conduct including the duties to abide by the laws of the Northwest Territories and Canada; to conduct his/herself with honesty, integrity, and respect for others; and to refrain from actions...

Merci, Monsieur le President. I'd like to recognize Lyda Fuller; she's a constituent of mine. She is also the Executive Director of the Yellowknife YWCA. Welcome to the House.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Members' Conduct Guidelines serve as the basis for a new Members' Code of Conduct including more specific and enforceable provisions; and further, that the new code be presented to the Assembly for consideration and adoption. Thank you, Mr. Chair.