Debates of October 25, 2006 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are addressed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and they’re in relation to the issue of proxy votes as they pertain to municipal elections. Mr. Speaker, my concern goes back to the 13th Assembly with the territorial government. When I first ran, there were very loose rules for proxy votes. There was a major court case in the Thebacha riding revolving around proxy votes. Legislation was changed; they were limited, but not eliminated. In the 14th Assembly, further changes were made where proxy votes were eliminated. Other options were put in place: mobile polls, special ballots, extended advance polls. I’ve noticed over the last few municipal elections that you can still, in a municipal election, get pieces of paper, proxy forms, and a person can just go up and down the street and collect votes.

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is, is there any consideration being given to bring the municipal voting regulations as it pertains to proxy votes in line with the standards that are there for the territorial election? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 181-15(5): Municipal Elections Proxy Voting Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Local Authorities Elections Act provides for the use of the proxy votes. A number of issues have been brought forward over the last while regarding the Elections Act. We have looked at laying out a process to do a review and we are, right now, in the midst of putting together a discussion paper and we’re expecting that to come out at the end of this calendar year or very early in the new year, and I would expect this would be one of the issues that would be covered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 181-15(5): Municipal Elections Proxy Voting Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that information. Could the Minister indicate the steps once this document is in? Are they anticipating that any changes would require legislative changes? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 181-15(5): Municipal Elections Proxy Voting Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The time frame around this whole issue regarding some of the issues that have been brought forward under the Elections Act, these concerns are being researched. The time frame we’re looking at, as I stated earlier, more than likely early in the new year. We don’t anticipate that we’d be in a position to change legislation in the life of this government, but it would be something that we would expect would take place in the new government of the 16th Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 181-15(5): Municipal Elections Proxy Voting Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final supplementary to the Minister would be, as we look at the transition from the 15th Assembly to the 16th and the work that’s being done to ensure that there’s continuity, would the Minister commit to ensuring that in the work that’s there, that’s put on the rails, that the target date is prior to the next set of municipal elections territorial-wide three years from now? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 181-15(5): Municipal Elections Proxy Voting Procedures

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not sure if I’m in a position to commit to something of that nature. There are a number of municipalities that have elections coming up on a staggered basis. So I will commit that this is an issue that’s been brought forward by a number of municipalities and also the NWT Association of Communities has this on their radar and it’s something we are in a position where we’re doing the research. We will lay out a number of the different issues, a number of the concerns that are out there, have discussion with the stakeholders. We will try to fast-track this as much as we can; however, I cannot make the commitment that this will be something that will be in place before the next election that the Member is referring to. Thank you.