Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on February 9, 2011, regarding practicum placements for northern students.
Provide a list of all the post-secondary educational institutions that enable our northern students to do their practicum in the North.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment does not have such a list as this is outside our scope and responsibility. Post-secondary institutions are responsible for the standards and delivery of their respective programs including practicum placements. Individual institutions have the authority to establish the requirements students must meet to graduate.
Some of the post-secondary institutions that have provided practicum placements in the Northwest Territories include the National School of Dental Therapy, the University of Alberta, Aurora College, Faculte St. Jean, and Nipissing University. Through these partnerships, students have completed practicum placements in the areas of education, social work and dental therapy.
Provide a work plan and implementation schedule that would show how the Grande Prairie College and our Education department help our northern students begin their work experience placement in the North.
I am aware that a student from the Sahtu, who is attending Grande Prairie College, wanted to complete a practicum placement in the Sahtu. Despite support from the Sahtu Divisional Education Council, Grande Prairie College was not able to agree to an offset placement at this time. Grande Prairie College indicated that their practicum placement requires that the teaching assistant student be supervised twice weekly by program faculty and that the student must attend ongoing seminars throughout the practicum.
Without the ability to provide distance education video conferencing, it is not possible to complete placements in the Sahtu at this time. However, Grande Prairie College indicated that they are very interested in pursuing this option in the future. We are interested in supporting practicum placements in the Northwest Territories that are supportive of the post-secondary education institutions that have the authority to establish practicums as part of their graduation requirements.
I agree that it is valuable for our students to complete their practicum experiences here in the Northwest Territories. I would encourage students to take advantage of these opportunities when they are available. Students should research potential programs and options for placement prior to enrolment.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment will continue to work with divisional education councils and other organizations to encourage and accommodate requests from students and post-secondary institutions in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As promised in my Member’s statement today, I said I would table the NWT Seniors’ Society’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms for Older Adults.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to Motion 21-16(5), Flexible Transition Period for Rent Adjustments.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, March 4, 2011, I will move that Bill 25, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2011-2012 be read for the first time.
I give notice that on Friday, March, 4, 2011, I will move that Bill 26, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 5, 2010-2011, be read for the first time.
I give notice that on Friday, March 4, 2011, I will move that Bill 27, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the first time.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project; Tabled Document 30-16(5), 2010 Review of Members’ Compensation and Benefits; Tabled Document 38-16(5), Supplementary Health Benefits – What We Heard; Tabled Document 62-16(5), Northwest Territories Water Stewardship Strategy; Tabled Document 75-16(5), Response to the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future”; Tabled Document 103-16(5), GNWT Contracts Over $5000 Report, Year Ending March 31, 2010 ; Tabled Document 135-16(5), GNWT Response to Committee Report 3-16(5), Report on the Review of the Child and Family Services Act; Bill 4, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act; Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act; Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Dog Act; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act; Bill 18, An Act to Repeal the Settlements Act; Bill 19, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act; Bill 20, An Act to Amend the Evidence Act; Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights; Minister’s Statement 88-16(5), Sessional Statement, with Mr. Bromley in the chair.
I’d like to call the Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us for consideration today: tabled documents 4, 30, 38, 62, 75, 103 and 135, as well as Bills 4, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, and Minister’s statements 65 and 88. What is the wish of committee, Mrs. Groenewegen?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee would like to deal with Bills 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, and Minister’s Statement 65-16(5), Devolution Agreement-in-Principle, Impact on Land Claims and Protection of Aboriginal Rights.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We’ll do that, but we’ll start with a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
Thank you, committee. I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. Prior to going on the break we agreed to review today Bills 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 as well as Minister’s Statement 65-16(5). Does committee agree that we start with Bill 14?
Agreed.
I’ll now ask the Minister responsible for the bill, the honourable Minister of Justice, to introduce the bill.
Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to be here today to speak to Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its review of this bill.
The Conflict of Interest Act defines the circumstances in which a council or board member is considered to be in a conflict of interest when participating in decisions of that council or board.
The current act automatically deems that a member has received a benefit -- what the act calls an “indirect pecuniary interest” -- in situations where the member is also an employee of the government with whom the contract or proposed contract is being made. This results in situations where members are forced to declare a conflict on decisions in which they would derive no direct benefit from their employers and the indirect benefit is so remote that no practical conflict exists.
The main purpose of the bill is to enable employees of the federal and territorial governments to actively participate on boards and municipal councils. Members will not have to declare a conflict of interest unless they stand to benefit from a decision of the board or council. The amendment removes the presumption that the member automatically stands to benefit from such a decision simply because they are employed by government.
The need to amend the Conflict of Interest Act has been raised by the Northwest Territories Association of Communities. The bill before you meets the commitment Justice has made to adjust the legislation to ensure that council and board members are free to participate effectively in matters and decisions of councils and boards.
I would be pleased to answer any questions that the committee members may have regarding Bill 14.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. I’ll now ask the chairperson responsible for the Standing Committee on Social Programs, which reviewed the bill, to make comments. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met on January 12, 2011, to review Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act. The bill was supported by the NWT Association of Communities and the Town of Hay River. A representative of Yellowknife Metis organizations also took part in the public hearing. Committee members thank all involved for their constructive input.
Following a clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 14 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 14. Individual committee members may have questions or comments as we proceed.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Would the Minister of Justice like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.
Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
Sergeant-at-Arms, if I could please get you to escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Mr. Lafferty, could I get you to introduce your witnesses for the record, please?
Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. To my left is Mike Reddy, policy and planning division, and to my right is Mr. Mark Aitken, director of legislation division.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. I’ll now open the floor to general comments on Bill 14. Clause by clause? Is committee agreed that there are no further comments or that there are no comments?
Agreed.
Okay. We’ll proceed with clause by clause on Bill 14. We’ll defer the title page and go to the detail. Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
Okay. So Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act, Clause 1.
---Clauses 1 through 3 inclusive approved
Bill as a whole.
Agreed.
Does committee agree that Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Conflict of Interest Act, is now ready for third reading?
---Bill 14 as a whole approved for third reading
I’d like to thank the Minister and his witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, if I could please get you to escort the witnesses out of the Chamber.
Does committee agree that we proceed with Bill 15?
Agreed.
I’ll now ask the Minister responsible for the bill, the Honourable R.C. McLeod, Minister of MACA, to introduce the bill. Mr. McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act.
This bill makes one technical amendment to the Fire Prevention Act to enable the fire marshal to act where an owner or occupant of a structure cannot be identified.
The Department of Justice legal counsel recommended that MACA amend the act so that it would be clear that the fire marshal can apply to the Supreme Court for permission to take corrective action where the fire marshal cannot establish the identity of the owner or occupant of the building. There are some additional minor amendments that follow from the technical amendment that have been recommended by legislation division.
I look forward to hearing comments from the Members and asking any questions.
Thank you very much, Mr. McLeod. I would now like to ask the chairperson responsible for the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure, which reviewed the bill, to make the comments. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure met on February 16, 2011, to review Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 15 to the Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.
This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 15. Individual Members may have additional questions or comments as we proceed.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod, would you like to bring witnesses into the House?
Yes, I would, Mr. Chairman.
Is committee agreed?
Agreed.
