Brendan Bell was first elected to the 14th Legislative Assembly on December 6th, 1999. Born on August 17th, 1971 Brendan has lived in the NWT since 1980. He now lives in Yellowknife with his wife Jill and their daughter Emily.
Prior to his election to the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Bell was a business owner and also worked for a management-consulting firm in Yellowknife for several years. Brendan has Bachelor of Commerce and Masters in Business Administration degrees.
In the 14th Assembly Brendan was appointed Chair of Standing Committee on Social Programs, Chair of Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures, and Chair of Special Committee on Conflict Process. He also served as a member of both the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight and the Special Committee on the Review of the Official Languages Act.
Yellowknife South
Statements in Debates
Debates of
, (day 16)
Mr. Chairman, I understand that we can't process a licence unless we have the consent of the Inuvialuit organizations on ISR lands. So I think that's the insurance that the Member has, that we will consult and, obviously, it's critical. It doesn't happen without it. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Member for the question. There’s a lot of work underway in this regard to make the Dodo Canol Park Trail more of a regional focal point. I think we’re doing some good work. We’ve struck a committee with the help of the Member, who really reinvigorated efforts in this regard locally. There’s a lot of interest now in getting this park created. We have our next meeting, I believe, in November with the committee. They will be talking about this summer’s walk on the trail that both the Premier and the Member participated in. I think it raised a lot of attention...
Debates of
, (day 16)
Mr. Chairman, clearly, on new licences in regions where we have settled claims, yes. It's not this Tourism Act that would direct something like an access and benefit agreement, it's the claim, it's the legislation. Where we're dealing with existing operators, what I can offer to do is to bring the operators together with the communities to have a discussion of this nature. I think it's important and I do think the operators want to involve the communities. As I say, that's just good business. So we can facilitate that kind of activity. But for sure, there is the legal requirement to do...
Debates of
, (day 15)
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, with me today is Mark Aitken, our director of legislation, Department of Justice. Thank you.
Debates of
, (day 15)
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know it’s a little out of the ordinary, but I would also like to say hello to my daughter Emily who is at home watching, I understand. Daddy won’t be home for supper.
---Laughter
I’m sorry. I love you and be nice to your sister.
---Laughter
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak to Bill 6, which proposes to enact the new Engineering and Geosciences Professions Act. The new act will provide for the continuation of the present Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of the Northwest Territories.
Yes, Mr. Speaker, I'm sure the Member doesn't want a trick. In fact, we will sit down, talk to the community. My staff are listening. I'm sure we're busily going over people's schedules and trying to figure out how we can get somebody in there as quick as possible. So I will make the commitment that we will move as quickly as we possibly can, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will certainly sit down. I'll have the regional staff sit down with the community. The information I've been provided if we feel the commitment to sell the freezer was made. In other communities, there were one-time payments made for chest freezers. Those payments have concluded. So really it is a variety of solutions in a number of communities. But we will go back. If there was a commitment made and we have not lived up to that, we will. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Jury Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly I will ask the regional staff to visit Tulita, talk to the community leadership about what they feel the promises were. We do have records going back. I'm not sure we have the specific discussions, and the Member is right; we don't want to get into a you promised, he said, she said debate. Clearly, we can't afford to give everybody in the Northwest Territories a freezer, so we do have to go back to the arrangements that were made and the commitments that were made. We will do that, Mr. Speaker. I give the Member my commitment in that regard. Thank you.
