Northwest Territories.

• Author: Bennett, Gail
• Position: Legislative Reports

Legislation

The Fifth Session of the 17th Legislative Assembly adjourned on November 6, 2014, with the House considering and adopting six pieces of legislation. The legislation included the 2015-2016 Capital Estimates as well as two supplementary appropriation bills.

Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, George L. Tuccaro, gave Assent to all six bills on November 6, 2014.

During the fall sitting, five additional bills were introduced by the Government, received First and Second Reading, and were referred to standing committees. Of note is a new Financial Administration Act referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations. This bill is intended to update the current legislation, which was originally drafted in 1987.

Two motions of interest were introduced and debated during the last days of the fall sitting. The first, introduced by Robert Hawkins, called for the Assembly to support the Premier of the Northwest Territories in working with Aboriginal organizations toward a national inquiry and national roundtable into missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls. The motion was adopted in a recorded vote, with 17 Members in favour and one abstention.

The second motion, moved by Michael Nadli, called for the establishment of an Ombudsman in the Northwest Territories. This motion was also adopted in a recorded vote with 11 Members voting in favour, six Members opposed (members of the Executive Council) and no abstentions. The Government is required to table a comprehensive response to the motion within 120 days.

Committees

The standing committees of the Assembly met in the capital...