Debates of February 18, 2016 (day 1)

Date
February
18
2016
Session
18th Assembly, 2nd Session
Day
1
Members Present
Hon. Glen Abernethy, Mr. Beaulieu, Mr. Blake, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Ms. Green, Hon. Jackson Lafferty, Hon. Bob McLeod, Hon. Robert McLeod, Mr. McNeely, Hon. Alfred Moses, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Nakimayak, Mr. O’Reilly, Hon. Wally Schumann, Hon. Louis Sebert, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Vanthuyne
Topics
Statements
Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

 The Member for Frame Lake is seeking unanimous consent to have his motion deemed to be read and printed in the Hansard in its entirety. Are there any nays? There are no nays.

WHEREAS, Section 44 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act states that the “Legislative Assembly may establish such standing and special committees to aid and advise it as it considers necessary”;

AND WHEREAS, the Standing and Special Committees of the Legislative Assembly are established in the Rules of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS, the Legislative Assembly has chosen to make revisions to the Standing Committees;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Rules of the Legislative Assembly be amended by making the following changes to Rule 89(2) by deleting the word “Infrastructure” and replacing it with the word “Environment” and by deleting the word “Programs” and replacing it with the word “Development”;

AND FURTHER, that Appendix 3, forming part of the Rules of the Legislative Assembly, be repealed and the following be substituted:

APPENDIX 3

COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment shall consider the following matters with respect to the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources; Industry, Tourism and Investment; Lands; Public Works and Services; and Transportation:

The Standing Committee on Government Operations shall consider the following matters with respect to the Departments of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations; Executive; Finance; Human Resources; and Municipal and Community Affairs:

review multi-year business plans and budgets, bills, boards and agencies;

review departmental performance and official language issues, including that of boards and agencies;

review, as necessary or appropriate, the annual and other reports of the Statutory Officers of the Legislative Assembly, including the Languages Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Equal Pay Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission;

examine the reports on the annual financial statements and public accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Report of the Auditor General;

i. In the event that the Assembly is not in Session, the Speaker may provide the Auditor General’s Report and the Minister of Finance may provide the Public Accounts to the Committee for review, which may include public hearings, in advance of tabling; andconsider any other matter referred by the House.

The Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning shall:

review issues which have government-wide implications including all related to devolution, implementation, and the overview of the budget and fiscal framework;

review Government of the Northwest Territories reports on financial and performance results and program and policy evaluations to ensure anticipated outcomes are being achieved and accountability is maximized;

coordinate Sessional business scheduling and planning in cooperation with appropriate Ministerial representatives;

coordinate Committee public consultation efforts with respect to budget and fiscal matters;

coordinate Committee strategic planning efforts;

monitor and evaluate Ministerial performance issues;

consider issues related to land claims and self-government negotiations;

consider issues related to public engagement and transparency efforts by standing and special committees;

consider issues related to federal and international relations; and 

consider the budgets and financial management of any boards and agencies that are outside the responsibility of any Standing Committee; and

consider any other matter referred by the House.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures shall:

review the reports of the Chief Electoral Officer on the conduct of elections, plebiscites, or votes conducted in the Northwest Territories in accordance with statute;

review, as necessary or appropriate, the annual and other reports of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner;

review and make recommendations on the implications and impacts that the implementation of self-government agreements will have on the powers, structures and procedures of the Legislative Assembly; and

Inquire into such matters as may be referred to it by the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker, or the Board of Management.

The Standing Committee on Social Development shall consider the following matters with respect to the Departments of Education, Culture and Employment; Health and Social Services; Justice; and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation:

review multi-year business plans and budgets, bills, boards and agencies, including the Status of Women Council and programs for seniors, youth and persons with disabilities;

review departmental performance, including that of boards and agencies;

consider issues related to homelessness; and

consider any other matter referred by the House.

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

 Question.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

 Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Orders of the Day

Speaker: Mr. Mercer

Orders of the day for Friday, February 19, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.:

Prayer

Ministers’ Statements

Members’ Statements

Returns to Oral Questions

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Acknowledgements

Oral Questions

Written Questions

Returns to Written Questions

Replies to the Commissioner's Opening Address

Petitions

Reports of Standing and Special Committees

Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

Tabling of Documents

Notices of Motion

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Motions

First Reading of Bills

Second Reading of Bills

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters:

Tabled Document 2-18(2), Interim Estimates 2016-2017”

Tabled Document 3-18(2), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2015-2016

Tabled Document 4-18(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), Nov. 3, 2015-2016

Report of Committee of the Whole

Third Reading of Bills

Orders of the Day.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

 Masi, Mr. Clerk. This House is adjourned until 10:00 a.m. on Friday, February 19, 2016.

---ADJOURNMENT

 

The House adjourned at 3:56 pm.