Robert Bouchard

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my statement I talked about the exciting first day of session and under the new regime of devolution. My questions today will be for the Premier of the Northwest Territories. He has indicated that a public review of the devolution legislation will begin, and he has indicated a website, but I’m just wondering: can the Premier elaborate on how this public consultation will happen on the review of devolution legislation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The next question I had was about devolution and the new positions. We’ve taken on some federal positions, but we’ve also created. I’m just wondering what the update is on those positions.

Have we hired all those people? Are we 50 percent complete? For the new positions we created for devolution, have we hired everybody? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess my next question is about the timing. The Premier indicated that he was going to be working with committee, but we are going into a summer session and we won’t be here for the summertime until we come back in the fall. I’m just wondering about the timing and would the department or the government look at extending that time so that it comes into the fall when most of the Assembly comes back as well as most of the people in the Northwest Territories go on the land and go have their kids away from school. So the focus is definitely not on politics.

Would the government look at extending...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleagues, I’d like to welcome everybody back to the session here today.

The Premier indicated in his sessional statement, today is the first day of our new government since devolution. An exciting time for the Northwest Territories. While I was home after spring session, everyone asked me: So, how is this going to affect us? So that was the concern from most of the public. That’s the thing going on. We sit here today, we have a lot of questions, we’ve made our statements. Really, what has changed in the government? It’s very subtle and we have a bunch of...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 30, 2014, I will move that Bill 26, An Act to Amend Elections and Plebiscites Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will not be supporting the amendment to go to 21. We had this debate last year and I have basically talked to a lot of constituents, and most constituents don’t see wanting to add more MLAs. I think I indicated in November, we travelled around Canada and we talked to other MLAs and they represent 40,000, 50,000, 70,000 people. We’re representing, the highest number is just over 3,200. That’s the highest. The lowest is 797 people. I mean, I know some of those communities are remote and it’s difficult and they have large issues. I don’t disagree with that. But I’m just...

Is committee agreed?

Bill as a whole?

Committee, we are reviewing Bill 17, Northwest Territories Intergovernmental Resources Revenue Sharing Agreement Act. General comments?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Fulford.