Sandy Lee

Excuse me, I get to speak, I believe. Anyway, they are not related. So in my view, they are not related. I am not saying that other people have no right to their views.

The second thing is I think to say that if the parliamentary session prorogues, I’m not sure if we had and precedence in setting our rules that way. We don’t know when that is, and when is the last time we really tied our legislation with what was happening there anyway. So I think we can do our own work. I don’t think this is related and for that reason I’m not going to support this motion. Thank you.

That is fine, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I just want to offer a few comments for the record. I understand and appreciate the complexities and the conflicting views on this and I realize this bill might touch on a subject that is of discussion wider than this Assembly. As the Minister stated in his opening remarks, I think it is important to note that this bill is not in any way defining or redefining marriage.

As the Minister indicated, we, as a territorial legislature, do not have the power to define or redefine marriage. That is the responsibility of the federal government. That is where the power...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sure if he brings that proposal to this side of the House we’ll be happy to do the public hearing for him. Anyway, Mr. Speaker, I have another question that he might be able to look into while he’s considering the changes that I’ve mentioned already. That has to do with the limit on small claims court. Mr. Speaker, small claims are set up so that people can go and get their issues of dispute resolved without having to hire a lawyer and go to the bigger court. Right now you can only go there if you’re case is less than $10,000. Many courts across the country have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a friend that I made over the last two days, a retired teacher who is visiting from Vancouver, British Columbia. She is here with family who is attending the 50th anniversary of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Her name is Mrs. Bev Wong. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

The last question, Mr. Chairman, before we leave the Department of Health and Social Services; we are almost close to leaving this session. I know the Minister was waiting to hear from the federal government as to what is happening with the federal money that we want approved. Is there anything this Minister could advise this House?

I don’t think I got the answer as to whether those kinds of families are able to get some assistance under this program. Maybe I could ask in another way. Under this program, the money you have allocated here, can the families or whoever are absolutely homeless, do they have to go to the Centre for Northern Families or Salvation Army? Is that the only way they can access this help? Under this program, does the government or department or whoever is delivering the program, do they rent private space in private apartments if there is overflow of people who are in need or do we just book so many...

Who’s blushing?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will not be supporting this motion for three reasons. One is that, as I stated, this bill has nothing to do with the Civil Marriage Act in Ottawa. This is creating equal status between unmarried couples and other unmarried couples. It has nothing to do with marriage.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just for the benefit of the record, could I just get the Minister to state what this motion is to do? Thank you.