Northwest territories.

• Author: Schauerte, Doug
• Position: Legislative Reports

The Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly reconvened February 5, 2014. The six-week session saw the consideration and adoption of 18 pieces of legislation, including the Appropriation Act for operations expenditures for the 2014-15 fiscal year as well as 10 bills directly related to the implementation of the Devolution Agreement with the Government of Canada. Responsibility for public lands, water and resource management was transferred effective April 1, 2014 from the Government of Canada to the Government of the Northwest Territories. For the first time, Northerners will be able to pass laws and make their own decisions about how the environment is managed and protected and the resources are developed. This was an historic occasion in the ongoing evolution of the territory.

Budget 2014-2015

On February 6, Finance Minister J. Michael Miltenberger presented the 2014-15 territorial operations budget. The biggest highlight of the $1,612 billion budget is the $59 million to administer the new land, water and resource management programs and services. This is to be funded through a $67 million increase in the Gross Expenditure Base in the Territorial Formula Financing Grant. Other highlights include $27 million in new investments in health and education to expand economic opportunities as well as $54 million to address increased salary costs and other forced growth pressures for existing programs. The Appropriation Act received Third Reading on March 7 and Royal Assent on March 13, 2014.

Legislation

Other bills of particular interest that were considered include Bill 4: Health Information Act, which was introduced in November and referred to the Standing Committee on Social Programs. The bill establishes rules regarding the collection, use, disclosure and security of personal health information. The Committee held public hearings in February and March and proposed and adopted amendments broadening the bill's purpose statement, as well as adding a mandatory review clause requiring the Minister to conduct a review of the Act within 10 years of its enactment. The bill received Third Reading on March 12 and Royal Assent on March 13, 2014.

On March 6, amendments to the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act were introduced to revise the electoral districts of the Northwest Territories. The bill proposed changes to the electoral boundaries within the communities of Hay River, Inuvik and Yellowknife, and moved the areas of Lutselk'e...