Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly has established and appointed members to the Northwest Territories Electoral Boundaries Commission 2021; and,
WHEREAS Section 9(K) of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act enables the Legislative Assembly to establish guidelines or criteria that shall be taken into consideration by the Commission;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that the following guidelines are set down for the Northwest Territories Electoral Boundaries Commission 2021:
1. The Commission shall review the existing electoral districts using the most recent and accurate census and other population data available.
2. In keeping with Canadian constitutional conventions, relative parity between electoral districts shall be sought, to the extent possible, except where special circumstances warrant exceptional deviation.
3. For greater certainty, "relative parity" means that the percentage variation between the number of persons in a riding and the average mean should be within plus or minus 25 percent.
4. In addition to whatever recommendations the commission may propose, the Commission shall recommend how the electoral boundaries should be drawn if the Legislative Assembly were to be comprised of a minimum of 19 Members.
5. The commission shall prepare an interim report with proposed electoral district boundaries for review by the public and discussion at public hearings.
6. The commission shall establish a website or other publicly accessible mechanisms, in addition to public hearings, to receive submissions on the existing and/or proposed boundaries.
7. All submissions to the commission shall be considered public documents.
8. Simultaneous translation of official languages shall be available at public hearings where the use of an official language in a particular community or region is sizable enough to warrant the employ of translation services.
9. If the commission is not in a position to accomplish its mandate within the existing budget allocated, it may return to the Legislative Assembly for additional funds; and,
10. The final report of the commission, complete with recommendations, shall be submitted in English and French to the Speaker and Clerk of the Legislative Assembly no later than twelve months after the commission is struck. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for KamLake. 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
