Legislative Assembly, Northwest Territories.

• Author: Bremer, Ronna

MLAs returned to the Legislative Assembly on May 27 for an abbreviated sitting to deal with several pieces of legislation, including: Bill 14 Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1997-98; Bill 16 An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act; and Bill 17 An Act to Amend the Territorial Hospital Services Act.

Finance Minister John Todd also announced the launch of the Northern Employment Strategy. The $32 million strategy is a two-year action plan aimed at job creation, economic growth, and labor force development, particularly for young people and the unemployed.

Under the strategy the territorial government will directly support private sector and economic development initiatives which:

* stimulate immediate job and work experience opportunities, particularly for summer students and young people;

* offer new jobs and work-related educational opportunities to social assistance recipients and the unemployed; or

* offer training and technical support to build a capable workforce within individual communities.

Committees

In June the Standing Committee on Social Programs concluded its public hearings on the proposed Family Law Bills -- the Adoption Act, the Child and Family Services Act, the Children's Law Act, and the Family Law Act. Committee Members will meet again during the summer and into the early fall to discuss their findings and prepare their report before reporting to the House when it reconvenes in October.

Standing Committees have also started their initial reviews of the costs associated with the creation of the two new territories and two new government structures in 1999. The process will resume when MLAs return to the Legislature in the fall after a summer break.

Division Activities

Work on the creation of the two new territories continues to proceed with less than 600 days until a new Canadian map becomes a reality on April 1, 1999.

In Nunavut, residents voted 57 per cent against and 43 per cent in favor of guaranteed equal representation for men and women in the first Nunavut Legislative Assembly. If the proposal had been publicly supported, it would...