Legislative Reports

Legislative Reports Okalik resigned his seat in the Legislation Legislative Assembly in order A dozen bills have been passed to to stand for office in the 41st date by the Legislative Assembly Canadian general election, which during the 3rd Session: was held on May 2, 2011. • Bill 1, Appropriation (Operations Nunavut When the Legislative and Maintenance) Act, 2011-2012 Assembly reconvened on May • Bill 2, An Act to Amend the he winter 2011 sitting of 31, 2011, for its spring sitting, Scientists Act Tthe Legislative Assembly Iqaluit Centre MLA Hunter • Bill 3, An Act to Amend the convened on February 22, Tootoo was elected to serve as Income Tax Act 2011. The House unanimously Speaker. Speaker Tootoo is the • Bill 4, Miscellaneous Statutes adopted motions at its sitting longest-serving Member of the Amendment Act, 2011 of February 25, 2011, to invite Legislative Assembly, having • Bill 5, Miscellaneous Statutes witnesses from the Government been elected in the 1st territorial Amendment Act, 2011, No. 2 of Canada and Northern retailers general election of February 1999. • Bill 6, Supplementary to appear before the Committee Appropriation (Capital) Act, Senior executives from the No. 1, 2011-2012 of the Whole during the spring North West Company, Arctic • Bill 7, Supplementary sitting to respond to Members’ Co-operatives Limited and questions concerning the federal Appropriation (Operations and Arctic Ventures appeared before Maintenance) Act, No. 5, 2010- Nutrition North Canada Program. the Committee of the Whole 2011 The motions were moved by from June 1-2, 2011. Members • Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Quttiktuq MLA Ron Elliott and from both sides of the House (Operations and Maintenance) Act, seconded by Rankin Inlet North posed a number of questions No. 1, 2011-2012 MLA Tagak Curley. and interventions during these • Bill 9, An Act to Amend the Child nd rd The 2 Session of the 3 deliberations. and Family Services Act Legislative Assembly was Committee of the Whole • Bill 10, An Act to Amend the prorogued on February 25, 2011. Nunavut Housing Corporation Act proceedings during the spring The 3rd Session convened on sitting also included Members’ • Bill 11, Legislative Assembly February 28, 2011. Commissioner Statutes Amendment Act consideration of the Government of Nunavut Edna Ekhivalak Elias of Nunavut’s most recent • Bill 12, An Act Respecting delivered the Opening Address. Nunavut Elections annual reports on departmental Minister of Finance and contracting, procurement and Committee Activities Cambridge Bay MLA Keith leasing activities, in addition Peterson delivered the Budget to those of the Qulliq Energy The Standing Committee on Address on March 1, 2011. The Corporation. Oversight of Government proceedings of the Committee of Operations and Public Accounts The House adjourned for the the Whole during the winter 2011 held hearings from April 14-15, summer recess at the conclusion sitting of the House were dominated 2011, on the 2011 Report of of its sitting of June 9, 2011. The by the scrutiny of the Government the Auditor General of Canada 3rd Session will reconvene on of Nunavut’s proposed 2011-2012 to the Legislative Assembly of October 18, 2011. It is anticipated main estimates and departmental Nunavut on Children, Youth and that the proceedings of the fall business plans. The winter sitting Family Programs and Services in sitting will be dominated by the concluded on March 10, 2011. Nunavut. These hearings marked scrutiny of the Government of Sheila Fraser’s tenth and final In April of 2011, Speaker Nunavut’s proposed 2012-2013 appearance before a Committee and Iqaluit West MLA Paul capital estimates. 56 CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/AUTUMN 2011 of the Legislative Assembly Kalluak, C.M. and the Reverend legislation that included similar of Nunavut. Members of the Michael Gardener, C.M. legislative changes. Standing Committee took the On January 1, 2010, The Order Bill No. 625 – The Saskatchewan opportunity to pay public tribute of Nunavut Act came into force. Respectful Language Act, to Ms. Fraser’s decade of service The objective of the Order is to introduced by David Forbes, an to the territory. recognize individuals who have Opposition Member, sought to On June 9, 2011, Committee made outstanding contributions eliminate references to ‘mental Chairperson and South Baffin to the cultural, social or economic retardation’, ‘mentally retarded’, MLA Fred Schell presented the well-being of Nunavut. The ‘retardation’, retarded’ or ‘retard’ Standing Committee’s report to Order is the highest honour of from all legislation and regulations the House on its hearings. Under Nunavut and takes precedence in force in the Province of Rule 91(5) of the Rules of the over all other orders, decorations Saskatchewan and replace with Legislative Assembly of Nunavut, or medals conferred by the ‘intellectual disability” or another the government is required to Government of Nunavut. appropriate form. provide, upon request, formal The first investiture ceremony Non legislative changes were responses to committee reports will be held in the fall of this year made to remove the anachronistic within 120 days. on a date to be announced. The phrase and the Assembly Nunavut Electoral Boundaries Commissioner of Nunavut will agreed to expedite the process to Commission preside over the ceremony in amend the one remaining Private her capacity as Chancellor of the Member’s Bill – Bill No. 907 – The On October 25, 2010, the Order. Nominations for the Order Congregation of the Sisters of St. Legislative Assembly established will re-open later this year. Elizabeth of the Third Order Regular an Electoral Boundaries of St. Francis of Assisi Amendment Commission. The Commission, Upcoming By-Elections Act, 2011 that contained the which held public hearings Three by-elections will take place derogatory language. The across the territory during early on September 12, 2011, to fill adoption of this bill resulted in 2011, released its report on June vacancies in the constituencies Bill No. 625 being removed from 6, 2011. The Commission has of Iqaluit West, Pangnirtung and the Order Paper. recommended that three new Tununiq. – The Workers’ seats be added to the Legislative Bill No. 622 Compensation Amendment Act, Assembly. At present, there are Alex Baldwin nineteen seats in the legislature. a Private Member’s public bill Office of the Legislative Assembly introduced by Andy Iwanchuk, The Legislative Assembly of Nunavut would have amended the is anticipated to consider the legislation to include esophageal report during its upcoming fall cancer as one of the cancers sitting. TheNunavut Elections eligible for compensation if the Act provides that any changes to victim was a firefighter. At Mr. Nunavut’s electoral boundaries Iwanchuk’s request the Assembly and the number of constituencies agreed to withdraw the Bill. The in the Legislative Assembly will Government then introduced not come into effect until the next Bill No. 174 – The Workers’ general election. Saskatchewan Compensation Amendment Act The Order of Nunavut which included compensation he spring sitting concluded for firefighters who suffer from On June 29, 2011, Speaker of on May 19, 2011. During primary site esophageal cancer. the Legislative Assembly and T the spring period of session, the The Legislative Assembly Chairperson of the Order of Lieutenant Governor, gave royal of Saskatchewan hosted the Nunavut Advisory Council assent to 26 bills including an XXVIIe Session de l’Assemblée Hunter Tootoo announced the Appropriation Bill to defray the régionale Amérique de first appointments to the Order of expenses of the Public Service. l’Assemblée parlementaire de la Nunavut. The Order of Nunavut In the Spring session, two Francophonie. The conference will be bestowed on the late Jose Opposition Bills resulted in took place from August 22 to Amaujaq Kusugak, the late Mark the Government introducing August 26, 2011. CANADIAN PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW/AUTUMN 2011 57 On November 7, 2011, a • Bill 5 – New West Partnership Accounts. In addition, the House general election will be held in Trade Agreement Implementation appointed a Special Committee Saskatchewan. Act: Implements a trade on Cosmetic Pesticides and a agreement involving British Columbia, Alberta and Special Committee to Appoint a Stacey Ursulescu Saskatchewan. Representative for Children and Committees Researcher • Bill 6 – Civil Forfeiture Youth. Amendment Act, 2011: Makes it more cost-effective to seize By-election property associated with As reported in the Summer unlawful activity, including small amounts of cash. 2011 issue, the new Premier, Christy Clark, was acclaimed • Bill 9 – Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act, as the BC Liberal candidate for 2011: Amendments include the by-election to be held in higher penalties and longer Vancouver-Point Grey on May 11, jail terms and an extension of 2011. Premier Clark won the by- British Columbia the statute of limitations for election with 48.9 percent of the offences pertaining to cruelty to animals. vote – the first time in thirty years that a member of a governing he third session of the 39th • Bill 11 – Yale First Nation TParliament resumed on April Agreement Act: Defines Yale party has won a provincial by- 27, 2011 following a nine week First Nation’s ownership election. adjournment to the spring sitting and management of mineral, forestry and other resources Recall Petitions in order to accommodate the on treaty settlement lands; also Elections BC announced that the

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