Debates of May 16, 2007 (day 8)

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Are there any further general comments on Bill 16? Mr. Bell.

Mr. Chairman, thank you. I'd like to add my thoughts and also indicate that I won't be supporting the bill at this time. I think there is some merit to having this debate about the updating or the amending of this provision, and we've had this discussion at Board of Management. My feeling, though, is that the debate would be better held by the 16th Assembly's Remuneration Commission. Every four years we do strike a committee to look at Members' benefits and pay, and while I don't believe this provision was considered by the last committee, it could very easily be considered by the next commission. When I sit down and think about the number of people in my memory anyway going back that have left the Assembly, obviously they haven't been eligible for transition. Some have left to pursue other employment. I can think of one who resigned to become a Supreme Court judge. Some have left under less than ideal circumstances. But without getting into the merits of why somebody leaves or those kinds of things, Mr. Chairman, my feeling is we do have a process for these kinds of things. There may be a very good reason, and I'm not indicating that I wouldn't be supportive of this shift to look more at a severance type of arrangement than transition, but I do think this is something that should be taken up by the next Remuneration Commission of the 16th. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Any further general comments to Bill 16? Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will support the bill. It is a good piece of housekeeping and I think, Mr. Chairman, in virtually any field of endeavour of employment you will find that under almost any circumstances, even those that are less than ideal, that employers or workers will have some remuneration based on length or term of service on which they and their family can rely if and when they decide or it's necessary for them to leave. MLAs are without this right now; of course, in the circumstance that they should decide to, or be forced to, resign. I don't think that is a realistic or a fair situation and I'm recognizing that it is there. Waiting for the next Remuneration Commission, as Mr. Bell suggests, is fine, but that is another two years out there. I think I'd feel better about supporting this bill and having this provision in place should this kind of thing happen to an MLA and, perhaps by circumstances beyond their control, leave them and their family without a backstop, again, as is consistent in many, many other fields of employment, based on their length of service. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. General comments. No more general comments. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to clarify that this particular motion and bill and the timing, I just, probably through an oversight of my own part, became aware of the fact that this particular clause was set up in such a way that if I or one of my colleagues, Mrs. Groenewegen or Mr. Roland or Mr. Dent, and any of us had to for some reason unforeseen had to leave, that they would lose all the accrued benefit not only for this term but also the previous term, and I don't believe that the was the intent when this particular clause was drafted. Given how life can change on an instant, when I became aware of this I thought it was important enough to make the effort to try to bring this forward to clarify it in the best interests of all of us and hence it being here today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. General comments, Bill 16. If there are no further general comments, clause by clause?

Agreed.

Thanks, committee. Clause by clause, Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Clause 1.

Agreed.

Clause 2.

Agreed.

Thank you. That concludes Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. To the bill as a whole.

Agreed.

Thank you. Does the committee agree that Bill 16 is ready for third reading?

Agreed.

Thank you. Bill 16 is now ready for third reading. Thank you, committee. At this time, I'd like to ask what is the wish of committee. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move to report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Motion to report progress. The motion is not debatable. The motion is in order. All those in favour? Those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Could I have the report of Committee of the Whole please, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Committee has been considering Bill 4, Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Act; Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act; and Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. I would like to report progress, with one motion being adopted, that Bills 5 and 16 are ready for third reading, and that Bill 4 is ready for third reading, as amended. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Do we have a seconder for the motion? Honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent. The motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Frame Lake, that Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

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

---Carried

Orders of the day for Thursday, May 17, 2007, at 1:30 p.m.:

Prayer

Ministers' Statements

Members' Statements

Reports of Standing and Special Committees

Returns to Oral Questions

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Acknowledgements

Oral Questions

Written Questions

Returns to Written Questions

Replies to Opening Address

Petitions

Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

Tabling of Documents

Notices of Motion

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

Motions

- Motion 6-15(6), Extended Adjournment of the House to August 15, 2007

- Motion 8-16(6), Commitment to the Deh Cho Bridge

First Reading of Bills

Second Reading of Bills

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Report of Committee of the Whole

Third Reading of Bills

- Bill 4, Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Act

- Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Child and Family Services Act

- Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act

Orders of the Day

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Accordingly, this House stands adjourned until Thursday, May 17, 2007, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 17:08.