Madam Chair, I have a motion. I move that Bill 18 be amended by striking out items 11 to 19 of the Appendix and substituting items 11 to 21 as set out in the schedule to this motion.
Mr. Chair, I seek unanimous consent to have the schedule to this motion deemed read and printed in Hansard in its entirety.
---Unanimous consent granted
Premising that the 60th parallel of latitude forms the boundary between the Northwest Territories and the Province of Saskatchewan for description purposes.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the 65°30' parallel of latitude and the Nunavut-Northwest Territories boundary (Lat. 65°30' N; Long. 112°30' W); thence south along the 112°30' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 62°15' parallel of latitude; thence west along the 62°15' parallel of latitude to its intersection with the 114°31' meridian of longitude; thence south along the 114°31' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 61°20' parallel of latitude; thence southwesterly in a straight line to the intersection of the eastern bank of the Buffalo River and the southern shore of Great Slave Lake; thence southerly along the eastern bank of the Buffalo River to its intersection with the northern shore of Buffalo Lake; thence easterly and southerly along the northern shore of Buffalo Lake to its intersection with the 60°18' parallel of latitude at the 115°05' meridian of longitude, approximately; thence west along the 60°18' parallel of latitude to its intersection with the centre of the main channel of the Nyarling River, at the 114°19' meridian of longitude, approximately; thence northeasterly along the centre of the main channel of the Nyarling River to its intersection with the 60°33' parallel of latitude at the 113°40' meridian of longitude, approximately; thence southeasterly in a straight line to the point of confluence of the centre of the main channel of the Klewi River with the centre of the main channel of the Little Buffalo River; thence northeasterly in a straight line to the intersection of the 61st parallel of latitude and the 110°20' meridian of longitude; thence east along the 61st parallel of latitude to its intersection with the 109°40' meridian of longitude; thence south along the 109°40' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 60th parallel of latitude; thence east along the 60th parallel of latitude to its intersection with the Nunavut-Northwest Territories boundary (Lat. 60°00' N; Long. 102°00' W); thence north and northwesterly along that boundary to the point of commencement.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the 65th parallel of latitude and the 120th meridian of longitude; thence south along the 120th meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 62°15' parallel of latitude; thence east along the 62°15' parallel of latitude to its intersection with the 114°20' meridian of longitude; thence north along the 114°20' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the southeast corner of the boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence west, north and east along that boundary to the intersection of the 114°26' meridian of longitude and the 62°30' parallel of latitude; thence north along the 114°26' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 62°55' parallel of latitude; thence east along the 62°55' parallel of latitude to its intersection with the 112°30' meridian of longitude; thence north along the 112°30' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the Nunavut-Northwest Territories boundary; thence northwesterly along that boundary to its intersection with the 116°00' meridian of longitude at the 66°40' parallel of latitude, approximately; thence south along the 116°00' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 65th parallel of latitude; thence west along the 65th parallel of latitude to the point of commencement.
Excluding the electoral district of Behchoko.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 and the east bank of the West Channel of the North Arm of Great Slave Lake; thence northwesterly along the east bank to the intersection with the southern shoreline of Marian Lake at 62°47'26" parallel of latitude and 116°03'12" meridian of longitude, approximately; thence in a straight line northwest to the intersection of the 62°51'32" parallel of latitude and the 116°06'30" meridian of longitude; thence in a straight line in a northeasterly direction to the intersection of the 62°53'07" parallel of latitude and the 115°56'50" meridian of longitude; thence in a straight line in a southeasterly direction to the intersection of the 62°47'13" parallel of latitude and the 115°51'59" meridian of longitude; thence southwesterly in a straight line to the intersection of the 62°47'26" parallel of latitude and the 116°03'12" meridian of longitude; thence in a straight line in a northerly direction to the east bank of the mouth of the West Channel of the North Arm of Great Slave Lake at 62°46'39" parallel of latitude and 116°00'12" meridian of longitude; thence northwesterly along the east bank to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the 62°55' parallel of latitude and the 114°26' meridian of longitude; thence south along the 114°26' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the most northerly northwestern corner of the boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence east along that boundary to its intersection with the centreline of the Vee Lake Road; thence southerly along the centreline of the Vee Lake Road to its intersection with the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4; thence southerly along the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4 to its intersection with the Yellowknife Yacht Club Road; thence following the centreline of the Yellowknife Yacht Club Road to the first curve; thence in a straight line in an easterly direction to the western shoreline of Back Bay at 62°29'07" parallel of latitude and 114°21'36" meridian of longitude; thence following the shoreline of Back Bay in a generally southerly direction to the eastern production of the northern boundary of Lot 863, Block 964, Plan 909; thence following that production and the northern boundary of Lot 863 to the eastern boundary of Lot 1001, Block Q85J/8, Plan 1334; thence in a generally southeasterly, southwesterly and southerly direction following that boundary to its intersection with the southern production of the eastern boundary of Lot 1001 and the centreline of Franklin (50th) Avenue; thence southwest following the centreline of Franklin Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 44th Street; thence southeast following the centreline of 44th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 52nd Avenue; thence southwest following the centreline of 52nd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 49th Street; thence southeast following the centreline of 49th Street to its intersection with the centreline of School Draw Avenue; thence southwest along the centreline of School Draw Avenue to its intersection with the boundary of Lot 5, Block 203, Plan 4297; thence in a general southerly then easterly direction following the boundary of Lot 5 to the southeastern corner of Lot 5; thence northeasterly in a straight line to its intersection with the boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order at 62°26'42" parallel of latitude, approximately and 114°20' meridian of longitude; thence south along that boundary to the intersection with the southeast corner of that boundary; thence south along the 114°20' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 62°15' parallel of latitude; thence east along the 62°15' parallel of latitude to its intersection with the 112°30' meridian of longitude; thence north along the 112°30' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the 62°55' parallel of latitude; thence west along the 62°55' parallel of latitude to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the most northerly northwestern corner of the boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence east along that boundary to its intersection with the centreline of the Vee Lake Road; thence southerly along the centreline of the Vee Lake Road to its intersection with the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4; thence southerly along the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4 to its intersection with the Yellowknife Yacht Club Road; thence following the centreline of the Yellowknife Yacht Club Road to the first curve; thence in a straight line in an easterly direction to the western shoreline of Back Bay at 62°29'07" parallel of latitude and 114°21'36" meridian of longitude; thence following the shoreline of Back Bay in a generally southerly direction to the eastern production of the northern boundary of Lot 863, Block 964, Plan 909; thence following that production and the northern boundary of Lot 863 to the eastern boundary of Lot 1001, Block Q85J/8, Plan 1334; thence in a generally southeasterly, southwesterly and southerly direction following that boundary to its intersection with the southern production of the eastern boundary of Lot 1001 and the centreline of Franklin (50th) Avenue; thence southwest following the centreline of Franklin Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 44th Street; thence southeast following the centreline of 44th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 52nd Avenue; thence southwest following the centreline of 52nd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 47th Street; thence northwest along the centreline of 47th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 51st Avenue; thence southwest along the centreline of 51st Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 48th Street; thence northwest along the centreline of 48th Street to its intersection with the centreline of Franklin Avenue; thence southwest along Franklin Avenue to its intersection with the southeasterly production of the eastern boundary of Lot 2, Block 122, Plan 2015; thence northerly along the eastern boundary of Lot 2 to the northern corner of Lot 2; thence northerly and easterly along the shore of Frame Lake to its intersection with the southwestern boundary of Lot 1, Block 310, Plan 2257, said point being the causeway across Frame Lake; thence southeasterly and northeasterly along the southern boundary of Lot 1, Plan 2257 to the western corner of Lot 11, Block 49, Plan 1940; thence northeasterly along the northern boundary of Lots 11 and 12, Block 49, Plan 1940 and the easterly production of Lot 12, Block 49, Plan 1940 to the intersection with the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4; thence northerly along the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4 to its intersection with the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3; thence westerly along the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 to its intersection with the 114°26' meridian of longitude; thence north along the 114°26' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the eastern boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence north along that boundary to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the centreline of Franklin (50th) Avenue with the centreline of a lane adjacent to Lot 1, Plan 717; thence southeasterly along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of 51A Avenue; thence northeasterly along the centreline of 51A Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 56th Street; thence southeasterly along the centreline of 56th Street to its intersection with the centreline of Burwash Drive; thence southwesterly along the centreline of Burwash Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Rycon Drive; thence easterly along the centreline of Rycon Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Con Road; thence northeasterly along the centreline of Con Road to its intersection with the centreline of 53rd Avenue; thence northeasterly along the centreline of 53rd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 54th Street; thence southeast along the centreline of 54th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 53rd Avenue; thence northeasterly along the centreline of 53rd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of the lane adjacent to Lot 13, Block 48, Plan 140; thence northwest along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of the lane adjacent to Lot 27, Block 48, Plan 2158; thence northeast along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of a lane adjacent to Lot 28, Block 47, Plan 3082; thence southeast along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of the lane adjacent to Lot 11, Block 47, Plan 140; thence northeast along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of 52nd Street; thence southeast along the centreline of 52nd Street to its intersection with the centreline of 54th Avenue; thence northeast along the centreline of 54th Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 49th Street; thence northwest along the centreline of 49th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 52nd Avenue; thence southeast along the centreline of 52nd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 47th Street; thence northwest along the centreline of 47th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 51st Avenue; thence southwest along the centreline of 51st Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 48th Street; thence northwest along the centreline of 48th Street to its intersection with the centreline of Franklin Avenue; thence southwest along Franklin Avenue to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the 114°26' meridian of longitude and the 62°30' parallel of latitude; thence south along the 114°26' meridian of longitude to its intersection with the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3; thence easterly along the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 to its intersection with the centreline of Old Airport Road; thence southerly to the centreline of Cemetery Road; thence southeasterly along the centreline of Cemetery Road to its intersection with the northerly production of the eastern boundary of Lot 37, Plan 1469; thence southerly in a straight line along the eastern boundaries of Lots 37 and 38, and Lots 3 to 7, Plan 515, Lots 8 and 9, Plan 1223, Lots 35 and 36, Plan 1340, Lots 11, 12 and 13, Plan 515, Lots 14-1 and 14-2, Plan 1191, Lots 15, 16 and 17, Plan 515 and Lot 42 and a northern limit of a short portion of Old Airport Road to the midpoint, said midpoint being the centreline of Old Airport Road; thence southwesterly along the centreline of Old Airport Road to its intersection with the centreline of Range Lake Road; thence southwesterly along the centreline of Range Lake Road to its intersection with the southeasterly production of the northern boundary of Lot 23, Block 560, Plan 2733; thence northeasterly along that production and the northern boundary of Lot 23 to the eastern boundary of Lot 971, Plan 1069; thence southwesterly and northwesterly along the southwestern and northwestern boundary of Lot 971 to the western corner of Lot 971, said point also being the northern point of Lot 6, Block 550, Plan 1971; thence southwesterly and southerly along the northern and western boundary of Lot 6 to approximately 114°26'05" meridian of longitude and approximately 62°26'30.8" parallel of latitude; thence westerly in a straight line to the southwest corner of Lot 56, Block 906, Plan 4216; thence northerly along the western boundary of Lot 10, Block 906, Plan 4214 to its intersection with the southern boundary of Lot 15, Block 906, Plan 4214; thence westerly and northerly along the southern and western boundaries of Lots 15, 14 and 10 to its intersection with the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3; thence westerly along the centerline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 to its intersection with the western boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence north and east along that boundary to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the southwestern boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence northeast in a straight line to the west corner of Lot 63, Block 553, Plan 4089; thence in a northerly and easterly direction along the boundaries of Lots 63 to 60 to the southwestern boundary of Lot 6, Block 550, Plan 1971; thence southeasterly along the southwestern boundary of Lot 6, the southwestern and eastern boundaries of Lot 31, Block 546, Plan 1799, to the intersection of the northeasterly production of the eastern boundary of Lot 31 with the centreline of Bagon Drive; thence northerly along the centreline of Bagon Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Hordal Road; thence in a generally westerly direction along the centreline of Hordal Road to its intersection with the centreline of Lamoureux Road; thence in a northerly and northeasterly direction along the centreline of Lamoureux Road to its intersection with the centreline of Range Lake Road; thence northerly along the centreline of Range Lake Road to its intersection with the southeasterly production of the southwestern boundary of Lot 6, Block 548, Plan 1890; thence northwesterly along that production and the southwestern boundary of Lot 6 to the southeastern corner of Lot 7, Block 548, Plan 1890; thence northeasterly along the southeastern boundary of Lot 7 to the eastern corner of Lot 7, said point also being on the southern boundary of Lot 971, Plan 1069; thence northwesterly along the southwestern boundary of Lot 971 to the western corner of Lot 971, said point also being the northern point of Lot 6, Block 550, Plan 1971; thence southwesterly and southerly along the northern and western boundary of Lot 6 to approximately 114°26'05"meridian of longitude and approximately 62°26'30.8" parallel of latitude; thence westerly in a straight line to the southwest corner of Lot 56, Block 906, Plan 4216; thence northerly along the western boundary of Lot 10, Block 906, Plan 4214 to its intersection with the southern boundary of Lot 15, Block 906, Plan 4214; thence westerly and northerly along the southern and western boundaries of Lot 15, 14 and 10 to its intersection with the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3; thence westerly along the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 to its intersection with the 114°31' meridian of longitude; thence south along the 114°31' meridian of longitude to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the southwestern boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence northeast in a straight line to the west corner of Lot 63, Block 553, Plan 4089; thence in a northerly and easterly direction along the boundaries of Lots 63 to 60 to the southwestern boundary of Lot 6, Block 550, Plan 1971; thence southeasterly along the southwestern boundary of Lot 6, the southwestern and eastern boundaries of Lot 31, Block 546, Plan 1799, to the intersection of the northeasterly production of the eastern boundary of Lot 31 with the centreline of Bagon Drive; thence northerly along the centreline of Bagon Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Hordal Road; thence in a generally westerly direction along the centreline of Hordal Road to its intersection with the centreline of Lamoureux Road; thence in a northerly and northeasterly direction along the centreline of Lamoureux Road to its intersection with the centreline of Range Lake Road; thence northerly along the centreline of Range Lake Road to its intersection with the centreline of Williams Avenue; thence southeasterly along the centreline of Williams Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of Woolgar Avenue; thence southeasterly along the centreline of Woolgar Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of Kam Lake Road; thence northeasterly along the centreline of Kam Lake Road to its intersection with the centreline of Taylor Road; thence southeasterly and easterly along the centreline of Taylor Road to its intersection with the northerly production of the southwestern boundary of Lot 19, Block 133, Plan 2259; thence southeasterly along that production and the southwestern boundary of Lots 19 and 20, Block 133, Plan 2259 to the most southern corner of Lot 20, Block 133, Plan 2259; thence southeasterly in a straight line to the southeast boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence westerly along that boundary to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the intersection of the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 and the centreline of Old Airport Road; thence along the centreline of Old Airport Road to its intersection with the centreline of Cemetery Road; thence southeasterly along the centreline of Cemetery Road to its intersection with the northerly production of the eastern boundary of Lot 37, Plan 1469; thence southerly in a straight line along the eastern boundaries of Lots 37 and 38, and Lots 3 to 7, Plan 515; Lots 8 and 9, Plan 1223, Lots 35 and 36, Plan 1340, Lots 11, 12 and 13, Plan 515, Lots 14-1 and 14-2, Plan 1191, Lots 15, 16 and 17, Plan 515 and Lot 42, Plan 2249, to the midpoint of the northern limit of a short portion of Old Airport Road, said midpoint being the centreline of Old Airport Road; thence southwesterly along the centreline of Old Airport Road to its intersection with the centreline of Range Lake Road; thence southwesterly along the centreline of Range Lake Road to its intersection with the southeasterly production of the northern boundary of Lot 23, Block 560, Plan 2733; thence northeasterly along that production and the northern boundary of Lot 23 to the eastern boundary of Lot 971, Plan 1069; thence southwesterly along the southwestern boundary of Lot 971 to its intersection with the northeastern corner of Lot 7, Block 548, Plan 1890; thence southerly along the eastern boundary of Lot 7 to the southwestern corner of Lot 6, Block 548, Plan 1890; thence in an easterly direction following the southern boundary of Lot 6 to the intersection of the southeasterly production of the southern boundary of Lot 6 with the centreline of Range Lake Road; thence in a southerly direction following the centreline of Range Lake Road to its intersection with the centreline of Williams Avenue; thence southeasterly along the centreline of Williams Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of Woolgar Avenue; thence southeasterly along the centreline of Woolgar Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of Kam Lake Road; thence northeasterly along the centreline of Kam Lake Road until it becomes Franklin (50th) Avenue; thence northeasterly along Franklin Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of Forrest Drive; thence in a generally easterly direction along the centreline of Forrest Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Burwash Drive; thence in a northerly direction along the centreline of Burwash Drive to its intersection with the centreline of 56th Street; thence in a northeasterly direction along the centreline of 56th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 51A Avenue; thence southerly along the centreline of 51A Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of a lane adjacent to Lot 2, Block 132, Plan 717; thence northwesterly along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of Franklin Avenue; thence southwesterly along the centreline of Franklin Avenue to its intersection with the southeasterly production of the eastern boundary of Lot 2, Block 122, Plan 2015; thence northerly along the eastern boundary of Lot 2 to the northern corner of Lot 2; thence northerly and easterly along the shore of Frame Lake to its intersection with the southwestern boundary of Lot 1, Plan 2257, said point being the causeway across Frame Lake; thence southeasterly and northeasterly along the southern boundary of Lot 1, Plan 2257 to the western corner of Lot 11, Block 49, Plan 1940; thence northeasterly along the northern boundary of Lots 11 and 12, Block 49, Plan 1940 and the easterly production of Lot 12, Block 49, Plan 1940 to the intersection with the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4; thence northerly along the centreline of Ingraham Trail Highway No. 4 to its intersection with the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3; thence westerly along the centreline of Yellowknife Highway No. 3 to the point of commencement.
All plans referred to in this description are deposited in the Land Titles Office for the Northwest Territories Land Registration District in Yellowknife.
Consisting of all that portion of the Northwest Territories bounded as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of the boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order; thence in a northwesterly straight line to the most southern corner of Lot 20, Block 133, Plan 2259; thence northwesterly along the southwestern boundaries of Lots 19 and 20 to its intersection with the northerly production of the southwestern boundary of Lot 19 and the centreline of Taylor Road; thence westerly and northwesterly along the centreline of Taylor Road to its intersection with the centreline of Old Airport Road and the centreline of Kam Lake Road; thence northeasterly along the centreline of Kam Lake Road until it becomes Franklin (50th) Avenue; thence northeasterly along Franklin Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of Forrest Drive; thence in a generally easterly direction along the centreline of Forrest Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Burwash Drive; thence in a northerly direction along the centreline of Burwash Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Rycon Drive; thence easterly along the centreline of Rycon Drive to its intersection with the centreline of Con Road; thence northeasterly along the centreline of Con Road to its intersection with the centreline of 53rd Avenue; thence northeasterly along the centreline of 53rd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 54th Street; thence southeast along the centreline of 54th Street to its intersection with the centreline of 53rd Avenue; thence northeasterly along the centreline of 53rd Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of the lane adjacent to Lot 13, Block 48, Plan 140; thence northwest along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of the lane adjacent to Lot 27, Block 48, Plan 2158; thence northeast along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of a lane adjacent to Lot 28, Block 47, Plan 3082; thence southeast along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of the lane adjacent to Lot 11, Block 47, Plan 140; thence northeast along the centreline of that lane to its intersection with the centreline of 52nd Street; thence southeast along the centreline of 52nd Street to its intersection with the centreline of 54th Avenue; thence northeast along the centreline of 54th Avenue to its intersection with the centreline of 49th Street; thence southeast following the centreline of 49th Street to its intersection with the centreline of School Draw Avenue; thence southwest along the centreline of School Draw Avenue to its intersection with the boundary of Lot 5, Block 203, Plan 4297; thence in a general southerly then easterly direction following the boundary of Lot 5 to the southeastern corner of Lot 5; thence northeasterly in a straight line to its intersection with the boundary of the City of Yellowknife as described in the City of Yellowknife Continuation Order at 62°26'42" parallel of latitude, approximately and 114°20' meridian of longitude; thence south along that boundary to the point of commencement.
To the motion. Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Madam Chair. This particular motion that’s before us has been debated for a number of years now.
[Translation] This bill is very important and it’s been very, very… We’ve been talking about it since 2005 until now, and especially since I’ve been elected we’ve been in discussions about it twice. We also wanted an extra MLA for the Tlicho region. In 2013 they wanted 19, 20 and 21. They also went to Rae region to ask the people and a lot of people attended the meeting at that time. So the Tlicho citizens want an extra MLA in their region and the elders have also requested that. In the Tlicho region we have approximately 3,000 people and we have about 35 percent. So, if you look at the numbers, it is right that we have an extra chair. We also know that Inuvik was like that, so they have received an extra and we have exceeded the population in order to have an extra seat. In our region, in the Tlicho region, we already have our own self-government, since 2005. When the commission travelled to the community all the people have talked about those issues that they were concerned about, especially about the population within the Tlicho region.
Tu Nedhe also spoke about that themselves. They have made it into one region, one electoral boundary and they wanted 19, it would have been 19 seats, but it seems that we’re not in agreement. We don’t live in the same way in the communities, so we ask them what they would want to do with it. I don’t agree with the decision that was made.
I want to also repeat this in English, but I want to speak in my own language for my own citizens. I talked about it in the Tlicho region already. I know that this has to be portrayed in my language because a lot of elders don’t speak English, but I know that a lot of elders have supported me, and because of their wishes I am speaking on behalf of them. They want an extra, so they want two MLAs; they want two chairs. That’s what we wish for in our region. [Translation ends]
So, to elaborate further in another language, since I’ve been elected to this Assembly, back in 2005, this is the second go around for the NWT Electoral Boundaries Commission process. The last one was in the 15th Assembly. In 2005 our Tlicho population was well beyond the 25 percent margin, hovering over 29 percent. At that time I also argued for an additional seat for the Monfwi riding. Today there is even more reason for this additional seat. The numbers speak for themselves.
Madam Chair, the 2013 commission final report stated that we should avoid a status quo position, present scenarios, 18, 19 and 21 seats. The commission held public engagement. The highest turnout for public consultation was in Behchoko from across the Northwest Territories. That alone should stand a point for requiring an additional seat for the Tlicho region. The public has spoken. For the last several Assemblies, the GNWT, Tlicho Government, elders, community members, have stressed the need for an additional seat in this Legislative Assembly. The current population in the four Tlicho communities is 3,183 and still growing. That is 39.5 percent, way beyond the 25 percent standard margin for an additional seat requirement. It’s time that we get the additional seat that we deserve. The commission did its report strictly on numbers. Back in the 15th Assembly we were at 29 percent. Now we’re at 39.5 percent plus. The next go around with the commission in the 19th Assembly, if we do come back, it will be 50 percent plus margin, double what’s required.
If you compare these numbers with two other communities, such as Hay River and Inuvik when they went through the process, which were granted an additional seat based on their 25 percent margin – the Monfwi population today is 3,183; Inuvik’s population is 3,321; a difference of only 138 today – it only makes sense that the Monfwi region be granted the same consideration as Inuvik; that is an additional seat.
We need equal representation throughout the Northwest Territories. The Tlicho region regional representation is almost four times compared to the smallest region, and that also needs to be taken into consideration. The Tlicho riding is very unique compared to other jurisdictions in the Northwest Territories.
As I stated in the Tlicho language, we have Tlicho land claims and self-government, the first of its kind in the North. Part of the commission’s consideration was to highlight lands, resources and self-government agreement, including language and culture preservation, transportation- communication within different areas. All of these elements have to be taken into consideration. We have to keep in mind that we are far beyond the 25 percent set margin; in fact, 14.5 percent plus and growing.
All four Tlicho communities are asking for this additional seat due to our ever increasing population in our region. There may be 3,183 in the Tlicho population today, but we also represent Tlicho populations living outside the Monfwi riding. Tlicho constituents living in Yellowknife feel comfortable accessing myself as Monfwi MLA because I speak their language and they feel comfortable speaking their language to me.
The opportunity now is to accept the 21 seats for our 18th Assembly coming. It will mean an additional seat for the Tlicho region and, yes, another seat for the Yellowknife riding, just the way it has been in the past, which in turn will balance the remaining numbers in the Northwest Territories.
At the same time, Madam Chair, the Tu Nedhe riding should stay the same representing Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. I do not support amalgamating Tu Nedhe with YK Dene. There are various reasons for it: different language groups, different claimant groups, which the 19 seat status quo would do. We heard it loud and clear from the general public: this will divide the nation, the language, cultural way of life. We cannot and should not force this on to them. They’re two different, distinct nations. Forcing on to them is the old system of doing business and it would simply not work.
The electoral boundary was debated in the 15th Assembly. Now we’re the 17th Assembly today with the Tlicho margin at 39.5 percent above and beyond the 25 percent. We need to move forward and grant the additional seat in my riding. I certainly hope that we don’t have to come back to the same debate in the 19th Assembly for the Tlicho region’s additional seat, at which time we will be a 50 percent plus margin, double the standard rate. My recommendation is that we have two additional seats added, one for the Tlicho and one for Yellowknife and that Tu Nedhe remains as is. I think the numbers speak for themselves. Mahsi.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Madam Chair. [Translation] We, the elected leaders here sitting in here, the people that I represent, the real people that I represent, the way they’re looking at us. The need to do electoral boundary seats that they’re going to put in there can’t be done that way. The people here, the real people, there used to be a lot of people before and we used to reside all over the place, here in Yellowknife, also some people lived in Hay River, some of our people lived in Fort Smith, and we were separated all over the place. Some of us lived around the great lake. There wasn’t much work, so the Lutselk'e people and the people from Fort Resolution had to seek work outside of the community, and the people didn’t have the right kind of work we wanted. In here, at least, I have been pleading for people to get some monies for them so they can employ some of the people in the communities, and that’s the way it is in Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution. Everybody sitting here knows how it is in the small communities. The Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e, they are the real Chipewyan people. The people from Yellowknife speak Dogrib also. All the people that come together here in Yellowknife, even though they think they are from the Great Slave Lake area, they joined the people here in Yellowknife. The people that are residing here are saying our land is outside of our area even though our land is here, even though the people that were here before the Yellowknife existence, they were always here before. A long time ago they lived here, even before the real people, the first white man came up, we were still residing here. In case they think that we want to be placed with the Lutselk'e people, that’s not the way it is. We, the people in the Northwest Territories, were the original people here, the first residents of the Territories.
In here, if we have 19 seats here, it wouldn’t be the people that are going to be sitting here to replace us. It’s not good for the future. All the people that are sitting here should be all sitting in here, all of mixed races. The Dogrib people are sitting here, the Inuit people are sitting here and all the real people. We have the Slavey sitting here. This is the kind of place that it’s supposed to be. These 19 seats that they’re talking about, it’s going to eliminate some of the people. Madam Speaker, Mahsi. [Translation ends]
[English translation not provided]
…people of Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution. In the way that we’re moving, and we’re trying to move to 19 seats to save a few hundred dollars, we are going to eliminate a nation of people in this House because someone thinks that two MLAs cost too much. It will cost too much if it’s at the expense of the Chipewyan people being represented in this House.
I went to a dinner at Christmastime and I didn’t even realize that they were not speaking English until I came home. When I told my spouse the story about what happened to me at a Christmas dinner in Lutselk'e, it was the only time I realized that no one was speaking English in there. If I couldn’t speak Chipewyan and if I couldn’t be a representative that spoke Chipewyan, I would have either been sitting there and have no idea what was being said or I wouldn’t have even been invited if I couldn’t speak the language. I spoke of that, how these elders sitting next to me were talking about people putting jam on their plates, cranberry sauce, so they spoke in Chipewyan. I grabbed the raspberry jam and handed it to her and she said, no, I prefer this one here. They took bannock and they spread the cranberry sauce on their bannock and ate. But that entire lunch that we had, I sat there with 26 elders in Lutselk'e; none of them spoke English.
When I go to Lutselk'e, nobody talks English to me. There are young people that speak to me, when I sit down in the band office, speak English, some of them. But, for the most part, I visit the elders. When I go for an election, I visit with the elders. I ask the elders to sign my nomination papers because they speak the language, they understand and they know what it’s like to be a Denesoline person or a Dene Tetlin person in Fort Resolution. I go around and I speak to the elders. An elder in Fort Resolution named Margaret, who went to residential school and can speak English but has difficulty with English, said to me, I learned how to speak English when I was nine years old. This is all in Chipewyan. She said it’s a beautiful thing to be able to sit here with a representative from the Legislative Assembly that can speak the language, because you know exactly what it is that we want. There’s no doubt in my mind when I speak to you in my language and you speak to me in my language that you understand 100 percent what it is that I have an issue with. When a Member comes in here and can’t speak my language, I don’t waste my time talking to them because everything’s always lost through interpretation.
I sit here and I say why in the world would we want to eliminate a language from the Legislative Assembly, and that’s what 19 seats does. Maybe not the next election but eventually we will eliminate the Chipewyan language from this Legislative Assembly. That’s not right, and that’s why I will not support the 19 seats, and I would support what we need to do is the 21 seats. I also feel that it will go to 21 seats anyway, but somebody else is going to make that decision. Somebody else is going to say through the courts, the Friends of Democracy. Those guys are going to go to the courts and say you’re going to have to put more seats in Yellowknife, which I agree with. One more seat will go into Yellowknife and one more seat will probably go into Monfwi through the courts. That will leave only one seat under-represented and that will be the Sahtu, and eight years from now when we find out how the resource play, the oil play in the Sahtu is and see how that region expands, we’ll then have an opportunity to address that issue, but today, what we’re doing today and what we’re trying to do today going to 19 seats is eliminating the Chipewyan people from this Legislative Assembly. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion. Mr. Bromley.
Madam Chair, before I speak to the motion, this is obviously a pretty complex amendment that is being proposed. I have not seen it before. It greatly, obviously, impacts my riding. I wonder if we might take a few minutes break so I could explore what, in fact, the boundaries are that are being proposed. As you can see from the fine print and the legal jargon, I have no way of knowing where the boundaries are that we’re debating here, and that would certainly help me be able to speak to the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. Bromley is proposing we take a break. Let’s do that. Let’s say let’s take 10 or 15 minutes and we’ll reconvene then. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
I’d like to call Committee of the Whole back to order. We were dealing with a motion that had been put on the floor. To the motion. Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate my colleagues bringing this motion forward and I will be speaking in support of the motion. Unfortunately, the option for 19 does not resolve the issues that I think we’re trying to deal with regarding the redefinition of boundaries.
Certainly, Monfwi is been left grossly under-represented and that gets converted to overrepresented, which is probably not appropriate for a few years. It is one of our fastest growing ridings and obviously they have been in an under-represented state for some time now.
I would say the same about my riding, Madam Chair. Weledeh, as everybody knows, is the largest riding currently, 42 percent greater than the average. It is a very large riding and definitely I recognize that some changes are needed to provide people with fairer representation. They’ve been grossly under-represented. Now again, unfortunately, even with the current 19 redefinitions, Weledeh is already, since the Boundaries Commission came out and we made our recommendations, over the 25 percent guideline.
My point is that the issue is not being resolved with a little bit of dallying such as 19 representatives. This motion, in contrast, tries to take a firmer hand and do things which will actually last a little bit longer than a month, 28 people for the Weledeh riding. I think it’s the same under the redefined Kam Lake situation. I suspect they will very quickly be over the 25 percent guideline.
That is no kind of resolution to the issues that I think we are trying to fix, whereas this motion does make some solid strides. You can look, for example, at the number of districts or ridings that are over and under 25 percent. It drops to four according to the paper, estimates for the option being recommended in this motion, as opposed to seven in the 19. It hardly resolves any of the issues of under and overrepresentation at all. Again, I appreciate that my colleagues are attempting to deal with the real issues here.
Certainly, when we look at a more democratic or political stance, the people of Weledeh did not want the people of Ndilo and Detah to leave the Yellowknife riding umbrella in which they currently fit. There’s a strong relationship between Ndilo, Detah and Yellowknife. Their MLA, that would be me, does not want that to happen. I look at Tu Nedhe where they would be shifted too. People of Tu Nedhe are not excited about that idea. I look at the representative, Mr. Beaulieu, for that riding. He, again, opposes this. I say to the House, how is this any kind of a justice or resolution to the issues?
Finally, and equally vital, I would say, is the problem of the seven Yellowknife ridings which, as I said, some of them already are under-represented again even should these boundaries be in place today. That means by the time this all happens, many of them, perhaps most, will likely be over the 25 percent guideline unless people will be grossly under-represented as in Monfwi currently. Again, a gross injustice in a democratic system.
If you look at the numbers, Yellowknife currently is under-represented by two Members. That is what it would take to really provide any kind of a cushion within the 25 percent guidelines that would last more than a few weeks. All Yellowknife ridings are essentially bumping up against the 25 percent. Again, I don’t think people are pushing for two people for Yellowknife, but obviously to delay this longer and longer, there needs to be some recognition. I think I see the way Yellowknife Members were here. Generally, they are strong at seeking solutions and political support that will benefit all residents of the Northwest Territories. I think Yellowknife representatives typically recognize that extra support is required, deserved and to be provided. I think the information shows that that’s provided by the Yellowknife MLAs for the small communities.
Yellowknife’s biggest growth factor is in fact Aboriginal residents moving here from other parts of the Northwest Territories. That’s the biggest source of growth for the City of Yellowknife. I think it’s something that theoretically could be supported by everybody, recognizing that their residents need fair representation, as well, even when they move into the centre of Yellowknife. Again, there are many reasons. I think Mr. Beaulieu and Mr. Lafferty provided other reasons as well. My main concern is that right now there really is gross under-representation in some ridings. It’s being perpetuated in Yellowknife. It even extends into the 21 Member option but less so, and gives a bit of a buffer for time, so there are plenty of reasons to support this motion and I will be supporting it and hoping that we can, again, respond to the concerns of the people in Ndilo/Detah as well as the Tu Nedhe riding and be fair to all, and certainly to Monfwi which is very under-represented right now. I think that wraps it up for me, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. To the motion. Next I have Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Madam Chair. We had an extensive debate about this in November. We had the bill brought forward that reflected the outcome of that debate. As we now look at the bill, the issue that we have avoided – and I’ve said this at every Boundaries Commission that I’ve talked to and every time we’ve debated this in the House – is how much government do we need? How many MLAs do we need for 42,000 people? I know some people will say there should be no price on democracy, we should keep adding MLAs. We have the smallest constituencies, next to Nunavut and the Yukon, in the free world.
We are at a time in the next 18 months or a year that we’re going to be cutting $30 million out of the budget, which is going to affect programs and services. At the same time, we’re suggesting through this amendment that we add more MLAs into this House.
Like we tend to do in government, rather than look at cuts, it’s easier to look at adding on, and we consistently grow the size of the Assembly. It started out with 15, now we’re up to 19. In my mind, this 19, this bill that’s before this House, is not perfect but it gets us to the next requirement for a Boundaries Commission where maybe at that time we’ll in fact address that fundamental issue. We talk about it with everything else. We talk about it with how much growth do we need, how much development do we need, and we keep getting pressured to deal with those issues, yet when it comes to minding our business in this House, it’s one that we studiously avoid because it’s easier to spend money and add seats to the point where it’s hard to reconcile the size of these constituencies with any other area.
In all my travels, I have yet to hear people say, give me more MLAs. Don’t pave my streets, let’s not do the nursing station or let’s not add money for a house, first we need more MLAs. I have yet to hear that and I’ve been here 19 years.
To me the issue is going to be go with the compromise, 19, and maybe next time we’ll have the hard discussion. There is going to come a day when we have to look, that we can’t avoid it. I’m going to vote for the bill that’s before the House based on the debate last November, in the hopes that next time we’ll reach that point where we have that tough discussion, the same way as we’re going to have the tough discussion with how do we adjust and take $30 million out of government. We can’t avoid it much longer, but this will get us to that next time, so I won’t be supporting the amendment. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. To the motion. Ms. Bisaro.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I, too, want to thank the mover and the seconder for bringing this motion forward. Like Minister Miltenberger, I felt we had a very vigorous and very long debate last fall and it was one of the best debates I think I’ve ever heard since I’ve been here.
I stated then that the status quo was not an option for me. What we have basically in front of us in terms of Bill 18 is status quo and I can’t support the status quo. For me there are probably three main reasons why.
The riding of Monfwi is grossly under-represented and we’ve known that for quite some time and the bill as presented does not address that. The amendment does address that, so I support the amendment in that regard.
The riding of Tu Nedhe is a really difficult issue, but we as a territory have stated, and it was part of the directions to the commission when they went out to do their work, that they were to consider the geography of our territory, they were to consider the cultural aspects of our territory, and I consider language to be part of the cultural aspects that they were to consider. I don’t believe that the bill addressed those adequately.
Yes, it keeps us to 19 but, you know, in the bill, the proposed Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh riding leaves two reasonably distinct groups extremely unhappy. Some people would say, yeah, well, get it over it; you know, just deal with it, but there’s no other riding, except for the ridings in Yellowknife, who would be that diverse. Every other riding in the NWT would be somewhat homogenous and yet we’re saying it’s okay to have one riding where we have two cultural groups which are not, so I have a problem with that.
The third issue for me, and it’s been mentioned already, but the ridings in Yellowknife, every riding in Yellowknife currently is very close to the 25 percent plus or minus level that has been set based on a court decision some time ago whenever that was. The amendment allows for some growth in Yellowknife. The bill as proposed does not allow for growth in Yellowknife and I suspect that the current Weledeh riding is probably over the 25 percent margin as we speak.
It’s been mentioned that Yellowknife is growing and the communities are not, and I agree with that. I think that Yellowknife, although it’s not growing by leaps and bounds, Yellowknife is growing. The need for the amendment, to me, says it gives the Yellowknife ridings a bit of space to grow in terms of population and the bill does not allow that for me.
One other thing that I want to mention is that the court decision in 1999 stated that overrepresentation is better than under-representation. Basically they said it’s okay to be overrepresented and if we go to the 21 we will have one riding that’s, I would say, grossly overrepresented, but for linguistic purposes I can accept that and cultural purposes I can accept that. But under-representation is not okay and that was what came out in the court decision. The amendment addresses the under-representation, not fully, but far better than what the proposed bill does, in my mind.
So for those reasons, Madam Chair, I do support the amendment. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion. Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will not be supporting the amendment to go to 21. We had this debate last year and I have basically talked to a lot of constituents, and most constituents don’t see wanting to add more MLAs. I think I indicated in November, we travelled around Canada and we talked to other MLAs and they represent 40,000, 50,000, 70,000 people. We’re representing, the highest number is just over 3,200. That’s the highest. The lowest is 797 people. I mean, I know some of those communities are remote and it’s difficult and they have large issues. I don’t disagree with that. But I’m just saying to add more MLAs… Even the 21 option leaves another jurisdiction in the Sahtu over our limit again, so do we add to 23? Should there not be a motion on 22? Then when we add 22, does it put somebody else over and where do you stop? I mean, where do we stop the MLAs?
Mr. Miltenberger talked about maybe we talk about the other side, about how big we get. Maybe we should be looking at, in the next go around, the options of how do we get bigger. Like, how do we have people represent 3,500 people on an average? I know Hay River and Inuvik used to only have one MLA. We’re almost going in a downward spiral. We should be trying to look upwards and trying to keep it at a higher number than a lower number.
I guess I just can’t support that. I mean, basically, because my constituents don’t support the concept of adding two MLAs. But, I mean, we have decisions on an ongoing basis about whether it’s a legal issue or not. We get legal advice. But we’re often challenged. We’re often challenged all the time about decisions we make and that they become court issues or somebody’s willing to challenge it. I mean, that’s the world we live in. But one of the reasons that we’re doing this and the adjustment is that Weledeh is well under-represented. They’re at 42 percent right now, 42.6 percent. We’re trying to fix one of those situations. Yes, Monfwi will be the next one that has an issue and we’re going to have to deal with that, but, I mean, I can’t support it because my constituents don’t support going to adding two more MLAs as well as the numbers, how many people we have. Like I said, when we fix this with 21, there’s another solution right behind it that needs 22 and probably 23 behind that, so where do we stop the bleeding and stop the additional MLAs? I mean, we know that a situation that the territory is getting more and more centralized. We’re going to end up having to add some of our communities together because the size of Yellowknife is centralizing. That’s what we’re trying to fight here but it’s happening. For right now, I think 19 we’re proposing is one of the remedies. It’s not a status quo because we’re actually changing and we’re fixing a Weledeh situation with an overrepresentation area. I mean, some of the Members are not pleased with this, and I respect them. I really do respect those individuals and those cultures, but I mean, we make some difficult decisions here and this is just basically what I see as a solution.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. To the motion. Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I thought we had dealt with this or the House had dealt with this before and the results were clear; the majority did not support 21 seats, and here we are debating it again and all for the same reasons.
I just want to say that I continue to be consistent that I don’t support 21 Members. We have a 19 MLA solution. It’s not the perfect solution, but it’s a solution now. I think this can be revisited in the 18th Assembly. Some Members spoke about Yellowknife close to but at the upper limit, but they’re not over at this point. I believe that it can be revisited in the 18th Assembly, and I will not be supporting the motion for two more MLAs.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. To the motion. Next I have Mr. Blake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I, too, when this last came up, voted on the 19 MLAs, keeping things status quo with the changes that were brought forward by the commission. I think it addresses a number of the issues that we’re dealing with. I know there are concerns of conflict between two Aboriginal groups, but I represent two ridings such as that with the Inuvialuit and the Gwich’in. Two different groups but we work together. I represent both groups. Any concerns that come up, you deal with it and work together, and that’s the way things should operate. I don’t think that in the long run we’ll learn to… I’ve seen it in the Dene Nation, for example. All the groups work together when there are issues that come up, and as we move forward with the 19 Members, I think things will work out. There are concerns of under-representation with the Monfwi riding, and I stated, again, when we last debated this, I beg to differ, because the Tlicho people are a self-governing nation. They are well represented. I’ve seen how the Tlicho conduct themselves and I have all the confidence in the riding, so I don’t feel that they’re under-represented. As we move forward, I will be voting against this motion.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. To the motion. Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Madam Chair. As Mr. Menicoche indicated, we had a pretty lively debate the last time we talked about this, and I still consistently state my position that here we’re having the recommendations looking at the forced marriages. Nobody wants to get married in this forced marriage, you know, Weledeh and Tu Nedhe. You put them together. They don’t want to be together. This is what we’re looking at, and I’ve always said that we’re talking about something very special and unique in the Northwest Territories. We’re talking about a culture and a nation of people that’s very special. If it was different, if we were somewhere maybe, but here in the Northwest Territories we are talking about this special relationship we have in the North. The culture and the nation of a people come from this land in that area and they have their own way. Sometimes that trumps the cost of living here in the North, the economic cost factors to that.
For me, I see this as a means not to disrespect the nation of people, the culture, and to honour and respect that. Otherwise, what could be said about other regions and cultures in the North? We don’t hold them to the degree that we think they should be held. The Tlicho have stated clearly, as it shows in the books, they need an additional MLA, so for me, it needs to be, I guess, respected and listen to what the people and what their elders are saying. At first I really didn’t think that we needed 21, but when I looked at the 19 and I looked at some of the issues, then I said, no, we’ve got to go to 21. I’m going to support the motion because I think that’s the right way to go based on what I’ve been reading, reviewing and what I’ve been hearing that anytime we try to look at a nation of people or culture with some significance to it, we need to be very careful how we deal with these types of issues. I’m going to be supporting the motion.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. To the amendment. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I understood that this process was completed in our last session and a decision was made. Unfortunately, we’re talking about this again, so I won’t be supporting the motion. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. To the motion. Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Madam Chair. A lot of the Members are indicating that this was already dealt with. Obviously, it’s not already dealt with; that’s why it’s back here. I think everybody knows that we have to go through three readings in order to make a decision on these things.
I like what Member Bisaro had to say about the consideration of what the Electoral Boundaries Commission had to say on culture and language. That’s what my whole point is, that that was not considered. I think what should have happened is that should have been a paramount issue. You should not eliminate a language, one of our official languages, and you don’t make decisions that will eliminate one of the official languages or cultures of this House, of this Legislative Assembly.
People seem to be confused as to how many MLAs can represent the NWT. It’s in the legislation. There’s a maximum amount. It sounds like people in here think that it just goes on forever and that the number will never stop. It stops at 24. That’s the maximum in the legislation that you can have. So that’s the most you can have. We’re nowhere near that. We’re at 19 now and moving to 21. Individuals are saying that’s $2 million, which it’s not, but that’s $2 million to add two MLAs. Again, that would be the cost of having every nation represented in here, people that represent every official language in the Legislative Assembly. That would be the cost of that.
The Member for Thebacha has said nobody has ever come up to him and said, don’t pave my street, get a new MLA. Of course no one says that. Who would say that, right? Why would anybody ever dream to go up to an MLA and say, don’t pave my street, get another MLA. That’s ridiculous.
The point is we have to make the decision here to make that decision. I know we have to cut $30 million out of the budget. That is something we will work on. We would put this into the framework. We seem to be able to find ways to pay for a lot of things in this House, but when it comes to paying what I am asking for, pay a little money to keep a nation in this building, all of a sudden the cost is too high. We can’t possibly do this.
This is what I have a real issue with. I cannot for the life of me understand how Members of the Legislative Assembly can vote to eliminate a language and a culture that is official in the Northwest Territories. I can’t for the life of me understand that and I would like to ask for a recorded vote.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. To the motion. Mr. Robert C. McLeod.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This has been a discussion that was had in the 15th and was had again in this Assembly. It’s a good discussion and I don’t think it’s a matter of picking one group over another. I think the Electoral Boundaries Commission had done a fairly good job in going out there with the terms of reference respecting different areas and cultures of the Northwest Territories. That’s why we see such a discrepancy in the numbers today.
I, along with Mr. Blake and Mr. Moses, represent communities that have a fairly large Gwich’in/Inuvialuit population. Neither of us speaks either of the languages, but we manage to work with them well, thus we get elected. So I believe we speak for all the people.
If we had asked the Electoral Boundaries Commission to go out across the Northwest Territories and base their decisions just on numbers alone, then we’d see our territory carved up where maybe a community like Colville Lake will be part of the Mackenzie Delta. We’d have to move a lot of areas around with different groups, but we’d all be one people.
So I think they’ve done a really good job in trying to address some of our concerns. No disrespect to my two colleagues. I respect the fact that they are able to bring this motion forward. I respect both of them and the people they represent, but as in the 15th Assembly, I believe that 19 is a workable number. I think one of the Members said we have some of the smallest ridings in Canada. I truly believe that. I think that I’ve got 1,700. It might go to 1,900 if it changes. I should know every one of them by their first names. We are always fairly easy to get hold of.
I think the NWT is well represented in the Northwest Territories, not just based on numbers but based on the people that are in here. Needless to say, I will not be supporting the amendment to the motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. To the motion. Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Madam Chair. As others have alluded to, we have debated this previously. It is back here again for debate. Today, I just want to start off with saying I do have a great deal of respect for both Members that have brought forward this motion, the Member for Tu Nedhe, the Member for Monfwi as well as the Member for Weledeh. This is a difficult situation to be in. Any time we look at adding seats to this Legislative Assembly, we run into some firm opposition. There are some out there that think adding seats, whether they are outside of Yellowknife or in Yellowknife, is a good thing, but the majority of people that I’ve spoken to here in Yellowknife, I would have to say that most people do not want to see more politicians. For that reason, my decision remains to support the 19 Members. I will not be able to support the motion. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. To the motion.
Question.
RECORDED VOTE
Question is being called. Can we have a recorded vote? All those in favour of the amendment to the motion, please stand.
Mr. Lafferty, Mr. Dolynny, Ms. Bisaro, Mr. Bromley, Mr. Yakeleya, Mr. Beaulieu.
All those opposed to the motion, please stand.
Mr. Ramsay, Mr. McLeod, Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Bouchard, Mr. Nadli, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Moses, Mr. Menicoche, Mr. Blake, Mr. Abernethy, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. McLeod, Yellowknife South.
The results of the vote are in favour of the motion, 6; opposed, 11. The motion is defeated.
---Defeated
To the schedule as amended.
Agreed.
Thank you. Now we return to page 1, Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Clause 1.
---Clauses 1 through 3 inclusive approved
Bill as a whole.
Agreed.
Does the committee agree that Bill 18 is ready for third reading as amended?
---Bill 18 as amended approved for third reading
Thank you. Bill 18 is now ready for third reading as amended. One other matter, does committee agree that consideration of Tabled Document 4-17(5), Northwest Territories Electoral Boundaries Commission 2013 Final Report is concluded?
Agreed.
I will now rise and report progress.
