Debates of October 20, 2006 (day 12)

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Time for question period has expired; however, I'll allow the Premier to answer the question. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 156-15(5): Mackenzie Valley Gas Project Profits

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, we will look at it. We want to know, we want to try and figure out ourselves what is the profit on this project. If there is huge profit, then we need our fair share of it. Mr. Speaker, I don't have a quarrel either with companies making a lot of money on these projects, but we do want our share and right now we have no commitment to have our share and it becomes increasingly difficult to support these kinds of projects if we're not getting a fair share of the resource revenues.

Hear! Hear!

If all we're getting is a little bit of corporate tax, a little bit of property tax and some payroll tax, and a lot of people may be getting jobs, that is still not enough. We know there's resource revenues that the federal government will benefit from on this project for a long, long time, and we need to get that share. I have stayed adamant with the federal government that any support for these kind of projects has to be tied to a fair share for us. The Prime Minister, in fact, has said that; now he's got to act on it.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. I'll allow one more supplementary question, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 156-15(5): Mackenzie Valley Gas Project Profits

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not an economist, but I don't think it takes…I mean this new report just says what I think we already have known. These consortiums of these mega companies who have projects around the world would not be spending the kind of money and the time they are if they weren't going to make money. I mean that should not come to us as a surprise.

Short question, Ms. Lee.

Mr. Speaker, I think that this government, and this Legislature, and the Premier, and the Cabinet, will be judged on how we come out in terms of benefits for the people of the Northwest Territories. I need to hear from the Premier very precisely what is it exactly he's asking the Prime Minister and how he's about to get that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 156-15(5): Mackenzie Valley Gas Project Profits

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are negotiating with the federal government and with Imperial. No doubt, Imperial, or Exxon who owns most of them, make profits. That's what those businesses do. But, Mr. Speaker, we are insisting with the federal government that they work with us to conclude an agreement-in-principle on devolution and resource revenue sharing within a matter of months. Mr. Speaker, we need their commitment to do that, otherwise, as I said, our support for these kind of big projects is questionable why we're doing it. Mr. Speaker, on resource revenues we're saying agree to an agreement-in-principle, then start working on a final agreement. The Prime Minister has said that the northerners should be the primary beneficiaries of resource revenues. That to me sounds like 50 percent plus, and that is where we are negotiating with the federal government on resource revenues. Of course, there's other areas in terms of socioeconomic impact and so on that we're negotiating as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.

Under the sale of the public housing initiative, how many units have been sold to public housing clients over the past three years?

Under the sale of public housing initiative, how many units which have been sold have been repossessed or have outstanding arrears owed to the government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Written questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Written Question 18-15(5): Behchoko Local Housing Authority

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.

With the recent letter from the chairperson of the housing authority in Behchoko, I would like to request the following:

Has there been layoffs at the local housing authority in Behchoko since September until present? If there was, how many?

How many more layoffs are we expecting within the local housing authority in Behchoko?

With these proposed layoffs, are there any impacts on the local members living in the community, those that speak the Tlicho language? How many are impacted?

Was there any consultation between the Housing Corporation and the local housing authority of Behchoko on these proposed changes? When and how many meetings took place?

Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled Reflections Magazine, Summer 2006. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I am tabling maps of the proposed electoral districts described in Bill 14. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to table a document on the literacy cuts that have impact in the community. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to table a letter from the Dehcho Divisional Education Council with regard to housing issues in the Deh Cho. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to revise the current electoral districts. The bill comes into force on the polling day for the general election that follows the dissolution of the 15th Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. A motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

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

---Carried

Bill 14 has had second reading. Honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 14, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 2, moved into Committee of the Whole for Monday, October 23rd, 2006. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 14 moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration on Monday. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Bill 14 has had second reading and will be moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration on Monday.

Thank you, colleagues. I'd like to call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2006, and Bill 10, Forgiveness of Debts Act, 2006-2007.

Mahsi, Mr. Menicoche. We will do that. Does the committee agreed?

Agreed.

Agreed. Thank you, committee. We will do that after a brief recess. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Thank you. I'd like to call Committee of the Whole back to order and we are dealing with Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2006. I'd like to now ask the Minister of Justice, the Honourable Brendan Bell, if he'd like to introduce the bill. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The purpose of Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2006, 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 most not prejudicially affect the rights of persons; and,

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 8 are minor in nature and many consistent 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.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. I will now ask the deputy chairman of Accountability and Oversight, Mr. Braden, to provide the committee's comments on the bill. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight conducted its public review of Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, on September 5th, 2006, and October 16th, 2006. Following the committee's review, Mr. Chairman, a motion was carried to report Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee's opening comments on Bill 8. Individual Members may have additional questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. I'd now like to ask Minister Bell if he has any witnesses he'd like to introduce.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Agreed. Thank you, committee. So moved. The witnesses please, Mr. Bell.

Thank you. Minister Bell, if you could, for the record, please introduce the witness. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, thank you. With me today, Mark Aitken is the director of legislation, Department of Justice. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Bell. We'll now move on to general comments on the bill. Are there any general comments on Bill 8? Does committee agree there are no general comments?

Clause by clause.

Clause by clause. Alright, we will start clause by clause. Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2006, clause 1.

Agreed.