Debates of October 13, 2005 (day 9)

Thank you, committee. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, at this time committee would like to consider Bill 6 and Bill 10 in that order. Thank you.

Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. We will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

Welcome back, everybody. I would like to call Committee of the Whole to order. We are looking at Bill 6, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2005. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if he would like to introduce the bill. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The purpose of Bill 6, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2005, is to amend various statutes of the Northwest Territories for which minor changes are proposed or errors or inconsistencies have been identified.

Each amendment included in the bill had to meet the following criteria:

it must not be controversial;

it must not involve the spending of public funds;

it must not prejudicially affect the rights of persons;

it must not create a new offence or subject a new class of persons to an existing offence.

Departments responsible for the various statutes being amended have reviewed and approved the changes.

Most amendments proposed in Bill 6 are minor in nature, and many consist of technical corrections to a statute. Other changes have the effect of repealing certain statutory provisions that have expired or have otherwise ceased to have effect. The amendments are of such a nature that the preparation and legislative consideration of individual bills to correct each statute would be time consuming for the government and the Legislative Assembly.

We will be pleased to answer any questions the committee may have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I will now ask Mr. Hawkins for the committee comments on the bill. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on October 11, 2005, to review Bill 6, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2005. This act makes minor amendments to a number of statutes. Following a clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 6 as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 6. Individual Members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in any witnesses today.

No, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Minister Bell. I would like to open the floor for general comments on the bill by Members. No comments. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Clause 7 talks about an amendment to the Liquor Act. The essential intent of this is basically a clarification, as I understand it, to amend the act and clarify the board’s authority to make regulations respecting the days and hours of operation of a licensed establishment. I wonder if the Minister could give us a bit of background why this clarification was required, and what issue or kind of concern may have come forward that caused this. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Minister Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I could just get the Member to restate the question. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Mr. Braden.

No problem. To clause 7, which specifies that the Liquor Board may make regulations prescribing the hours and days of a licensed premises, I would like to ask what kind of circumstance or condition gave rise to the requirement to amend or adjust the board’s authority here.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My understanding is this is the current practice anyway. We are just making it official with this amendment.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Anything further, Mr. Braden?

As an aside to it, I am not particularly attached to the amendment before us, Mr. Chairman, but does the board’s authority here -- and this seems quite appropriate, by the way -- require or demand any kind of community consultation when it goes about prescribing days and hours? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Minister Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It’s my understanding that when there are changes to the days and hours, they hold community hearings in order to do so. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Minister Bell. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That satisfies my curiosity here.

Thank you, gentlemen. We will go now to clause by clause. Bill 6, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2005, Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupations Certification Act, clause 1.

Agreed.

Business Corporations Act, clause 2.

Agreed.

Cooperative Associations Act, clause 3.

Agreed.

Education Act, clause 4.

Agreed.

Evidence Act, clause 5.

Agreed.

Legal Services Act, clause 6.

Agreed.

Liquor Act, clause 7.

Agreed.

Mechanics Lien Act, clause 8.

Agreed.

Pawnbrokers and Second-Hand Dealers Act, clause 9.

Agreed.

Public Service Act, clause 10.

Agreed.

Wildlife Act, clause 11.

Agreed.

Bill as a whole?

Agreed.

Agreed. Does the committee agree that Bill 6 is ready for third reading?