Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask what work has been done to get the process on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy, the new one we’re expecting for next April, started. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been work done. Initially, our Climate Change Committee has been pushing on this. The departments have met. ENR has pulled together the initial discussions to lay out the plan for consultation that will occur in the coming months. I’d also point out that there’s some related work that’s going on that could have a bearing, given some of the topics of discussion.
As we look at the paper on the tax system and tax shifting, in that particular document we talk about and raise a number of issues that are tied to this particular Greenhouse Gas Strategy as well, or could be, and that’s the whole area of what level of involvement are we prepared to contemplate if we look at tax shifting with targets, carbon taxes, that whole debate and discussion. So there is a significant amount of work that’s going on in this area. Thank you.
Appreciation to the Minister for those comments. Obviously he’s been thinking about this. How does the Minister see this unfolding so that the public is aware of what’s going on and the process for consultation? Thank you.
Both of those initiatives I talked about will be put through a process where the documents will be prepared and put out for discussion, initially, and feedback. We’ll be working with committees, of course, and we’ll be looking for that feedback in a timely way, making sure that we link all the different initiatives that we do have in regard to the renewal, and I would assume expansion and enhancement of the Greenhouse Gas Strategy so that it looks outside of the internal look at government. Thank you.
Again, thanks for those remarks. I’d like to, sort of like the Biomass Strategy, a great strategy, I agree with it, but there are no targets, there is no schedule for implementation. So I’m wondering if the Minister would commit to putting this process down on paper with the targets, the time targets and achievements that we can expect through the years so that we’re, indeed, coming in on schedule and bringing that to committee, say, when we meet at the end of June or sometime that’s convenient and not too far down in the year. Thank you.
We can talk about the process. I would suggest that we have set a whole host of targets in terms of actual conversions to biomass, both within government and outside of government. We’ve targeted money, we’ve targeted resources, and we’re looking at projects across the land as it pertains to biomass and a host of other alternative energy ways mainly through the annual business planning process. Now, if there’s a need to put those numbers into a different form and possibly add to them, of course, we would be willing to have that discussion with committee. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The time for question period has expired; however, I will allow the Member one final supplementary question. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks again for that commitment. I think it would be good and I’m speaking, really, here, of the development of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy to have a specific timeline laid out for this process. I know public consultation is difficult, especially on an issue like this. It’s important to everyone. So I think that would be helpful and highlighting where and how MLAs could have early input into the process and so on. So I think that would be useful. Thank you.
I concur with the Member. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services.
How many people are currently registered with the NWT Health Care Plan?
How many of those people registered temporarily reside outside of the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents: GNWT Traditional Knowledge Annual Report 2009-2010 as well as the GNWT Geographic Tracking of Expenditures: Expenditure Data for the Year Ended March 31, 2007. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2008-2009 Annual Report and Agriculture Products Marketing Council 2009-2010 Annual Report.
As well, Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Growing Forward: Small Scale Foods Program Community Gardening Initiative 2009-2010 Annual Report. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories calls on the Government of Canada to fully reinstate the funding previously provided to the Aboriginal Healing Foundation; and further, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and the content of our proceedings today to the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs for his consideration and action. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move that Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 20, 2010, I will move that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 8, Social Work Profession Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill provides for the regulation of the profession of social work in the Northwest Territories. It sets out requirements for registration as a registered social worker or a licensed social worker and provides for application procedures.
A process for the review of conduct of registered and licensed social workers is established, including a complaints mechanism, a description of unprofessional conduct, an option for alternative dispute resolution and a hearing process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Bill 8 has had second reading and is referred to committee.
---Carried
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; and Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, No. 3, with Mr. Bromley in the Chair.
Thank you, I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us today the four items including 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; and Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, No. 3. What is the wish of committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee would like to deal with Bill 7 first and then return to Executive Summary of the Report of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project for today. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We’ll be dealing with Bill 7 first and then Tabled Document 4-16(5), but first a short break.
---SHORT RECESS
I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have before us consideration of Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act and I would like to start by calling on Mr. Ramsay, as a Member of the Board of Management, for his introduction of the bill with opening remarks. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to be here to represent this bill. This bill proposes various amendments to the Elections and Plebiscites Act.
These amendments are the result of considerable discussion. We started with a review of the CEO’s report on the administration of the general election of 2007. That report was reviewed by the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures. During that review, all the candidates, their official agents and the returning officers were asked for their views and concerns about changes for the next general election. In addition to their consideration of the recommendations from the CEO, the committee also developed some of their own recommendations. The results of these reviews were considered by all Members of the Legislative Assembly and the recommendations were passed as motions in this Assembly.
Those recommendations have served as the basis for the preparation of this bill. Additional discussions at several Caucus meetings finalized the preparation of the bill.
This bill makes some important changes:
It establishes a new voting opportunity: multi-district polls. This will be another advance opportunity for voters at remote worksites such as the diamond mines and in communities where many residents may be temporarily located, such as an Aurora College campus. It will be up to the CEO to determine where multi-district polls are to be held.
It also establishes a new identification process at the polls. This closely follows the process for identification during federal elections. Everyone has to show ID establishing residency and identity. If you don’t have ID, another elector can vouch for you only if they have ID.
It supports the collection of information from Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment. This will permit the CEO to obtain and use the health care plan info from Health and Social Services. That information is likely more accurate than enumerations and post-secondary student financial assistance information. This means we can provide special ballot information to university students while they are here in the summer.
It also centralizes special ballots. An election official in Yellowknife will manage the special ballot process. This means special ballots should be able to get out faster and be returned to a central address more readily.
I will be pleased to respond to any questions that Members have about these amendments as we go through the bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. I would like to ask if you will be bringing in any witnesses.
Yes, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. I would like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Thank you. Mr. Ramsay, I would like to ask you to introduce your witnesses, please.
