Robert C. McLeod

Mr. Speaker, the department has already started some of the work in comparison to some of the other jurisdictions in the South and how they deal with the issue that we’re discussing today. I’m sure as they go into the NWTAC annual general meeting to be held in Tuktoyaktuk this year that they’ll have some information, because obviously they’re going to get questions on it, and as they normally do, they go there very well prepared and I believe they will be on this one too. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, the NWTAC, as the Member had mentioned in his Member’s statement, had passed a motion asking for the municipalities to have the authority to levy hotel taxes. That being the case, we obviously have to listen to that and do our consultations and see what support is out there. This was something that was tried, I believe, in 2000, to levy a hotel tax, and a lot of the stakeholders that were opposed to it at that time are now speaking out in support of it. It’s one obviously we’d have to have a look at and see how we can go forward from there. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I will commit to the Member that we will look at all the different situations. In a lot of the smaller communities, I think we rely a lot on the elders that are in there, because they seem to know before anybody else that a storm is coming and they warn folks. I can assure the Member that a warning system could be one of the issues that is looked at by this working group. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we do like to assist our seniors. We have the government service offices that are going to be in some of the communities which would be able to assist some of the seniors. As far as going door to door, that’s a topic that I’ll have to take up with senior management and see if it’s something that we would consider doing. Again, like I say, we like to have the clients initiate the contact and then we’ll do what we can from there to accommodate them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do provide a lot of assistance to seniors, and as I quoted some numbers the other day when I was speaking to the motion, the number of seniors that are accessing our programs, our CARE program, for example, which allows them to access more money than they would have under the old system, we had quite a few seniors that took part in that. But I’ve heard the Member’s concern and I heard the motion the other day. I haven’t had an opportunity yet to sit down with the senior staff, but I do know that we are doing an evaluation of our Housing Choices program and hearing...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’re always conscious of the possible effects this could have on communities and we go to great lengths to consult with the NWT Association of Communities and get their feedback on some of the proposed amendments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Bill 19, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act.

Bill 19 proposes amendments to three of the municipal statues, the Cities, Towns and Villages Act, the Hamlets Act and the Charter Communities Act. The proposed amendments result from issues raised over the past several years by municipal governments. Additional minor amendments of a miscellaneous nature are included as requested by the Department of Justice.

The other municipal statue, the Tlicho Community Government Act, is not addressed in this bill. The Tlicho Government must consent in a separate...

I would, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Mr. Mike Aumond, deputy minister of MACA, Laura Gareau is the director of corporate affairs for MACA, and we have Kelly McLaughlin, legislative counsel, Department of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act.

This bill makes one technical amendment to the Fire Prevention Act to enable the fire marshal to act where an owner or occupant of a structure cannot be identified.

The Department of Justice legal counsel recommended that MACA amend the act so that it would be clear that the fire marshal can apply to the Supreme Court for permission to take corrective action where the fire marshal cannot establish the identity of the owner or occupant of the building. There are some additional minor amendments that...