Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the first time. Thank you.
Bill 11 has had first reading.
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 9, An Act to Amend the Tourism Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Tourism Act by repealing the provisions regarding the Tourist Deposit Assurance Program. A transitional provision allows the Minister to review those applications for reimbursement of a deposit made in respect of a tourism activity before November 15, 2010, and render a decision on those claims. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Bill 9 has had second reading.
---Carried
The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 10, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 2010-2011, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, the bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Thank you.
Bill 10 has had second reading.
--Carried
The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 11, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2010-2011, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes supplementary appropriations for infrastructure expenditures for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Thank you.
Bill 11 has had second reading.
---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; Committee Report 1-16(5), Report on On-Line Petitions; and Committee Report 2-16(5), Report on the Use of Computers and Hand-Held Electronic Devices in the Legislative Assembly, with Mr. Krutko in the Chair.
Thank you. I call Committee of the Whole to order. We have several things to deal with: Tabled Document 4-16(5), Tabled Document 30-16(5), Tabled Document 38-16(5), Committee Report 1-16(5), Committee Report 2-16(5), and Tabled Document 62-16(5). Mrs. Groenewegen, what is the wish of committee?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee wishes to deal with Committee Report 1-16(5), Committee Report 2-16(5) and Tabled Document 4-16(5). Thank you.
Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Okay, with that, we’ll deal with Committee Report 1-16(5). Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Committee Report 1-16(5), Report on On-Line Petitions was read into the record yesterday, May 19, 2010, and subsequently moved into Committee of the Whole for further discussion. Mr. Chairman, I am now prepared to make two motions as recommended by Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures in their report. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Are you making a motion, Mr. Hawkins?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that the Legislative Assembly approve the implementation of an On-line Petition Pilot Program to allow for the presentation of petitions from on-line petitions websites associated with the Legislative Assembly website to be operational from the period of October 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I just want to say one brief thing, which is this is a significant move forward, I believe, in democracy. I believe strongly that this will provide a new dimension to bringing the voice of the people of the North to this Assembly. We will be able to reach one corner to another on a particular issue to ensure that it will be heard on the floor of this House. An example of the rest of Canada and North America should take hold of and watch as we proceed forward to see how it works. This could be a scary adventure for some, but I believe this is an opportunity to hear the voices, the passion of the people in this respective Assembly and certainly I hope it lends itself as a model for future Assemblies to consider. Thank you.
To the motion. Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am sure that all the details of this particular undertaking will be ironed out, but I think it’s very important to make sure that there are ways of ensuring that people who want to sign on-line petitions identify themselves and their identity can be confirmed. Thank you.
To the motion. Premier Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I guess this is the one time I get to speak in Committee of the Whole to a motion. That reflects more on the Assembly as a whole and as Mrs. Groenewegen has stated, the verification of individuals who would sign on the website is going to be absolutely critical. The one thing I’ve seen, and I’m sure all of us have seen in this new world and this new technology that is ever changing, is there are so many opportunities and things happen so fast and there is a certain anonymity to the Internet world, as they say, that would be somewhat difficult to prove. Whereas in today’s environment, although cumbersome, the individual that signs is in the community and signs in front of someone, in a sense a witness. Whereas, the on-line world, you don’t know who truly is on the other side unless you can verify that in some substantive way.
So although Mr. Hawkins has talked about the rest of the world or North America paying attention to this, I think we’d better make sure we get our ducks lined up and make sure the appropriate measures are put in place so that someone doesn’t just go to a phone book in the NWT and pick a name and send it in on a website. Who’s to verify that signature is the accurate one? So it could be somewhat cumbersome as we go forward. So that’s a caution, I guess, that I would put to this. Thank you.
To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
The motion is carried. Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Clerk’s office undertake an evaluation of an On-line Petition Pilot Program after June 30, 2011; and further, that the evaluation be provided to the Members of the 17th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
To the motion.
Question.
Question is being called.
---Carried
Does committee agree that we’ve concluded Committee Report 1-16(5)?
Agreed.
Agreed. Next on the list we’ve agreed to deal with is Committee Report 2-16(5). Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Committee Report 2-16(5), Report on the Use of Laptop Computers and Hand-Held Electronic Devices in the Legislative Assembly, was read into the record yesterday, May 19, 2010, and subsequently moved into Committee of the Whole for further discussion.
Mr. Chairman, I am now prepared to introduce four motions and recommendations by the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures in their report. Thank you.
The motion is being circulated. Mr. Hawkins, are you making a motion?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the Members be permitted to use laptop computers and other hand-held electronic devices only during Committee of the Whole proceedings; and further, that laptop computers and other hand-held electronic communication devices are not to be used by a Member who has the floor; and further, that a Member who has the floor must have his or her laptop computer closed and/or his or her hand-held electronic device turned off.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that any electronic device used in the Chamber must be on silent mode at all times.
There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
Mr. Hawkins.
