Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for the question. This year, online voting in the elections was not identified as one of the working priorities with the Association of Communities. We will be working with the Fire Prevention Act, seniors, and property taxation. Online voting was not a discussion. It was not a topic that we elaborated on in any conversation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I think there is some confusion here in the small amount of work it is to allow them municipalities to have online voting. It is simply a permissive clause. It's probably one or two sections in the legislation, and then they have to develop their own bylaws to do that. I recognize that the NWT has identified the Property Assessment Taxation Act, the Fire Prevention Act, and the Seniors and People with Disabilities Act for changes, but those are significant overhauls they've been asking for for years. What I am asking for is for MACA, which has failed to bring forward any legislation thus far, to draft a simple one- or two-clause piece of legislation that gives municipalities the options of having their elections online. Is the local Authorities Elections Act going to be brought forward in the life of this Assembly at all, such that I could possibly propose this change?
During the lifetime of this Assembly, no, this will not be brought forward. It was not identified as a priority throughout the Northwest Territories and within our smaller communities. However, that doesn't stop me from looking at the idea of the online voting. One of the things that flags concern for me is the communication and if the communities actually have the capacity to carry this through. I have not received any further information to see what this would look like throughout the Northwest Territories.
If the Minister wants to look at what it looks like, we just had an election. In 2016, the Gwich'in had an online election, and then in 2019, they decided to add telephone voting because it was more accessible for their elders. There are already small communities with software in place using this for their elections. I would like to give those same communities the ability to run their community elections with online voting. The NWTAC passed a resolution asking for this. I don't know how much more they can identify a priority. They have an AGM; they pass resolutions and ask us to do things. Is the Minister willing to reach out to the NWTAC and see if they would support the introduction of this change, considering they have already asked for it?
Yes, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will engage in a conversation with the NWTAC to explore the opportunity for online voting. Also, I will have my department reach out to the Gwich'in, as well, to see how this online voting was perceived in the communities and if it was successful and how many residents they were actually able to reach out to.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. MACA has a lot of legislative work to do. This is a small one. I recognize it's not as big a priority as the Fire Prevention Act, but considering that I don't see any MACA legislation coming forward in this Assembly or, I believe, the next year, I think a small, simple bill will be a win for this department, showing they can actually pass legislation. My question is: Is the Minister willing to direct her department to share some of the policy work that has been done in this area, perhaps a jurisdictional scan. I know Ontario lets the municipalities vote online. The Rules and Procedures Committee has done a thorough research on how online voting in our last election -- is the Minister willing to ask her department to compile some of that research and share it with committee? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I will have my department follow up and see what that would look like having online voting within the Northwest Territories, but once again to the Member that this is not a priority of this government or the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 468-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Affirmative Action Policy;" and "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 472-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Affirmative Action Policy." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 457-19(2): Interpreters." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS Subsection 15(1) of the Official Languages Act permits the appointment of a Languages Commissioner by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, after the approval of the appointment by resolution of the Legislative Assembly;
AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly considers the appointment of a Languages Commissioner essential for ensuring recognition of the rights, status and privileges of each of the official languages and compliance with the spirit and intent of the Official Languages Act;
AND WHEREAS the current Languages Commissioner has retired;
AND WHEREAS pursuant to subsection 17(3) of the Official Languages Act, the Speaker, on the recommendation of the Board of Management, appointed Ms. Brenda Gauthier of Fort Smith, Acting Languages Commissioner on January 11, 2021;
AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly is of the opinion that the appointment of a Languages Commissioner should now be made;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that pursuant to Section 15 of the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, that Ms. Brenda Gauthier of Fort Smith be appointed as Languages Commissioner for a term of four years;
AND FURTHER, that the appointment be effective February 5, 2021.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion?
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee, Mr. Norn?
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that the Chair rise and report progress.
Thank you, Mr. Norn. There is a motion on the floor and it is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
I will now rise and report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 77-19(2), National Housing Co-Investment Fund; Tabled Document 165-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 166-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 167-19(2), a Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; and Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022. I would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Do we have a seconder? Member for Great Slave. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Orders of the day for Monday, February 8, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.:
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Replies to Budget Address (Day 3 of 7)
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Commissioner's Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Motions
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Minister's Statement 77-19(2), National Housing Co‐Investment Fund
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Tabled Document 165-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT
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Tabled Document 166-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT
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Tabled Document 167-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT
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Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Monday, February 8, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. Have a good weekend.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 11:45 a.m.
