Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right I have Kelly McLaughlin, who is the director for legislation, Department of Justice. To my left I have Mr. David Kravitz, the manager of community governance, Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

I am pleased to introduce Bill 1, Tlicho Statutes Amendment Act.

In 2005, when the Tlicho Agreement came into effect, the community governments of Behchoko, Gameti, Whati and Wekweeti became Tlicho community governments with municipal authorities pursuant to the Tlicho Community Government Act.

Since 2005, the four Tlicho community governments have identified a number of needs that the Tlicho Community Government Act does not address and have expressed a desire to amend the act to reflect these needs, most of which relate to Tlicho community government elections. For example:

Currently, a...

That’s just what communities do regardless of where they work and what they do, there is a need to come together and they come together. I think all communities should be commended for that. I will commit to the Member that we’ll look at this. There have been pots of funding available from the federal government that we have been able to tap into, but one of the programs is discontinued so we’ll have to see what they roll out for a new program. I commit to the Member that as a department and as a government, we try to find ways that we can access any kind money for the communities to assist...

I’m not aware. That would require some investigation from MACA, that part of it, and see if protocol was followed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I’ll take the Member’s question as notice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the Minister of Transportation, I wish to table the following two documents, entitled Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project Risk Matrix as of March 11, 2013, and GNWT Response to Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway Project Review Panel Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We haven’t started any work yet, as I’ve said before. This is one aspect that we’d probably benefit from a full review. We look at our legislation based on the basis of risk, and we look at the potential risks and benefits of a number of persons that are affected by legislation, and we do have some pieces of legislation that we’re working on right now and we need to weigh that against looking at future legislation.

I do agree with the Member, though, it is one that would benefit from a full review. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, a lack of affordable, adequate and suitable housing creates challenges in recruiting staff for the GNWT, Aboriginal governments and for community governments. Staff need homes to live in if they are going to continue delivering the programs and services the people of the NWT rely on their governments for.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There were a couple of minor amendments made to the Real Estate Agents’ Licensing Act. There was a minor amendment made in 2010, and another minor amendment that came into force in April of 2011. However, the Member is correct; this is a very outdated piece of legislation and it’s one that could benefit from a full review. I will weigh this against our other legislative priorities and see where it fits into the legislative priorities of the 17th Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, there are many opportunities for those that provide service to youth to network. We have a number of events that go on across the Northwest Territories at any given time where they could network and share some of their success stories and work with each other. However, I have committed to the Member that I will work with the officials and see about putting on a symposium.

As far as the timeline goes, once I have those discussions, I think I’ll be in a better position to give a definite date as to when we plan on having it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.