Rules of the Legislative Assembly
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1
DIRECTION REGARDING THE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES IN THE CHAMBER
1. The use of any electronic device in the Chamber is subject to the overriding discretion of the Speaker to ensure that order and decorum are maintained at all times.
2. Any electronic device used in the Chamber must be on silent mode.
3. No electronic device may be used as a telephone.
4. No electronic device may be used during the following times:
a) prayer;
b) at any time when the Commissioner is present in the Chamber;
c) during the Speaker’s opening and closing remarks and when the Speaker is delivering a ruling;
d) during votes of the Assembly; and
e) at any other time designated pursuant to instruction from the Speaker.
5. Members are urged to exercise courtesy and good judgment in using electronic devices in the Chamber so as not to distract fellow Members or to detract in any way from the proceedings.
APPENDIX 2
GUIDELINES PERTAINING TO ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
1. The use of Acknowledgements will be allowed at the sole discretion of the Speaker.
2. Advance notice of the content and focus of the Acknowledgement must be provided to the Speaker one hour prior to the sitting during which the Acknowledgement will be given.
3. Any recognition must be directed to a Member’s own constituents.
4. Acknowledgements shall not exceed thirty seconds.
5. Members are limited to one Acknowledgement per day.
6. Acknowledgements are allowed for the following:
a) birthdays at the age of 80, 85 and 90, and every year thereafter;
b) anniversaries at 50 years and every five years thereafter;
c) death of a constituent;
d) graduations from high school and post-secondary educational or training programs lasting more than one year and which result in a professional designation, university degree, college diploma, trade certificate or ticket;
e) territorial, national or international award won by or presented to an individual constituent by a credible and recognized organization; and
f) retirement after 20 years or more of employment in the Northwest Territories.
APPENDIX 3
COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE
1. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment shall consider the following matters with respect to the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources; Industry, Tourism and Investment; Lands; Public Works and Services; and Transportation:
a) review multi-year business plans and budgets, bills, boards and agencies, including the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut; the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation, and the Public Utilities Board;
b) review departmental performance, including that of boards and agencies;
c) consider matters related to infrastructure;
d) consider matters related to climate change; and
e) consider any other matter referred by the House.
2. The Standing Committee on Government Operations shall consider the following matters with respect to the Departments of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations; Executive; Finance; Human Resources; and Municipal and Community Affairs:
a) review multi-year business plans and budgets, bills, boards and agencies;
b) review departmental performance and official language issues, including that of boards and agencies;
c) review, as necessary or appropriate, the annual and other reports of the Statutory Officers of the Legislative A Assembly, including the Languages Commissioner, the Information and Privacy Commissioner, the Equal Pay Commissioner and the Human Rights Commission;
d) examine the reports on the annual financial statements and public accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Report of the Auditor General.
i) In the event that the Assembly is not in Session, the Speaker may provide the Auditor General’s Report and the Minister of Finance may provide the Public Accounts to the Committee for review, which may include public hearings, in advance of tabling; and
e) consider any other matter referred by the House.
3. The Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning shall:
a) review issues which have government-wide implications, including all issues related to Devolution implementation, and the overview of the budget and fiscal framework;
b) review Government of the Northwest Territories reports on financial and performance results and program and policy evaluations to ensure anticipated outcomes are being achieved and accountability is maximized;
c) coordinate Sessional business scheduling and planning in cooperation with appropriate Ministerial representatives;
d) coordinate Committee public consultation efforts with respect to budget and fiscal matters;
e) coordinate Committee strategic planning efforts;
f) monitor and evaluate Ministerial performance issues;
g) consider issues related to land claims and self-government negotiations;
h) consider issues related to public engagement and transparency efforts by standing and special committees;
i) consider issues related to federal and international relations; and
j) consider the budgets and financial management of any boards and agencies that are outside the responsibility of any Standing Committee; and
k) consider any other matter referred by the House.
4. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures shall:
a) review the reports of the Chief Electoral Officer on the conduct of elections, plebiscites, or votes conducted in the Northwest Territories in accordance with statute;
b) review, as necessary or appropriate, the annual and other reports of the Conflict of Interest Commissioner;
c ) review and make recommendations on the implications and impacts that the implementation of self- government agreements will have on the powers, structures and procedures of the Legislative Assembly; and
d) Inquire into such matters as may be referred to it by the Legislative Assembly, the Speaker or the Board of Management.
5. The Standing Committee on Social Development shall consider the following matters with respect to the Departments of Education, Culture and Employment; Health and Social Services; Justice; and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation:
a) review multi-year business plans and budgets, bills, boards and agencies, including the Status of Women Council and programs for seniors, youth and persons with disabilities;
b) review departmental performance, including that of boards and agencies;
c) consider issues related to homelessness; and
d) consider any other matter referred by the House.
APPENDIX 4
QUESTION PERIOD GUIDELINES
The traditional purpose of questions, namely the seeking of information or pressing of action by the Government has shifted and broadened in many legislatures including the Northwest Territories. It is suggested that there are four objectives of the Question Period:
1. as a vehicle for Regular Members to raise the individual concerns of their constituencies;
2. as an opportunity for the House as a whole to probe the actions of the Executive;
3. as a means of illuminating the differences of opinion on the policies of the Executive on major issues and judging the parliamentary skills of individual Members in the House; and
4. as a means of obtaining information by the House from the Government.
Question Period also enables the Government, through the Ministers’ answers, to disseminate information about a particular policy decision or issue to the House.
The following guidelines deal with the most frequently encountered situations in Question Period with the objective of ensuring the most effective and economic use of the time available by both Regular Members and the Executive Council.
Situations which are not covered by these guidelines will be dealt with in accordance with a combination of practices and precedents of the Northwest Territories, the House of Commons of Canada, provincial and territorial legislatures, and parliaments in the Commonwealth, so far as they apply to this Assembly.
1. A question must:
a) be addressed to a Minister;
b) be a question;
c) seek information;
d) deal with a matter reasonably assumed to be within the present knowledge of a Minister;
e) consist of a single question;
f) be brief and may include a short preamble;
g) be within the administrative responsibility of the Government;
h) relate only to the current responsibilities of the Minister to whom it is directed; and
i) comply with the Rules and practices of the House regarding language and speech content.
2. A question must not:
a) be an argument or a debate;
b) be hypothetical;
c) be trivial, vague, meaningless or frivolous;
d) seek an opinion;
e) contain inferences, impute motives or cast aspersions upon any person;
f) require a lengthy and detailed answer;
g) repeat an earlier question which was answered, taken as notice, or to which an answer was refused at that sitting;
h) anticipate a matter listed on the Order Paper for consideration at that sitting;
i) refer to a matter that is before the courts (sub-judice);
j) seek information about proceedings in a Committee which has not yet been reported to the House;
k) be addressed to the Speaker (information relating to matters under the Speaker’s jurisdiction must be obtained privately);
l) seek information about matters which are confidential, such as decisions or proceedings of Cabinet; or
m) request a Minister to provide a legal interpretation.
3. A supplementary question:
a) may be asked to obtain clarification of the answer or answers provided by the Minister to whom the original question was directed; and
b) must be directly related to the original question.
4. When answering a question a Minister may:
a) answer it;
b) take it as notice; or
c) decline to answer.
5. Answers to a question must:
a) reply to the question asked; and
b) be brief.
6. Answers to a question must not:
a) contain argument or debate; and/or
b) provoke debate.
7. A Minister who makes a commitment to provide additional information to a Member during Oral Questions shall:
a) table the information in the Assembly at the earliest opportunity.
APPENDIX 5
MULTI-MEDIA GUIDELINES
1. Television coverage of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly should be an accurate, factual and coherent record of the legislative proceedings which will allow the viewing public to clearly understand how the legislative process works.
2. The coverage of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly shall be recorded in the official languages of the Northwest Territories in accordance with the established broadcasting schedule.
3. All proceedings in the Legislative Assembly Chamber, beginning with the Speaker’s procession and Prayer and concluding with the daily adjournment of the Assembly, shall be recorded, with the exception of recesses. Proceedings in Committee of the Whole shall also be recorded.
4. A Member who has been recognized by the Speaker or Chair of Committee of the Whole shall be shown on camera and shall be identified periodically by his or her full name and constituency; or for a Minister, his or her full name and portfolio titles. When a Minister makes a Member’s Statement he or she shall be identified by name and constituency.
5. Information as to the status of the House and current business shall be displayed on the television screen periodically during proceedings.
6. The close-up shot of the Member shall be of his or her head and shoulders. A medium close-up shot showing some of the Members who are seated on either side of the speaking Member may be taken. In addition, an occasional establishing shot may be taken to help orient viewers to the Chamber. On special occasions such as the Commissioner’s Opening Address and the Budget Address, cutaway shots of individuals or groups of Members’ visitors seated in the gallery may be shown.
7. When the Speaker is speaking or standing, the camera facing the Speaker that best reflects the activities of the House shall be used at the discretion of the television director.
8. When in Committee of the Whole, a variation of wide, medium and close shots may be used to best reflect the activities of the Committee. Ministers may be shown consulting with their officials. Officials or witnesses may be shown on camera as introduced by Ministers or the Chair of Committee of the Whole, or when answering questions at the direction of the Chair of Committee of the Whole.
9. Head and shoulder close-up shots of the Speaker or the Chair of Committee of the Whole may be taken when he or she is delivering a ruling.
10. Applause shots and orientation cut-away shots may be taken provided that the shots reflect the decorum of the Chamber.
11. Split-screen shots are not permitted.
12. Medium close-up shots may be taken of visitors sitting in the gallery. These guests must be seated in a pre-designated location and the Speaker or the Chair of Committee of the Whole will instruct the television director when such introductions will be made.
13. Pursuant to the provisions of the Copyright Act and the inherent rights and privileges of the Legislative Assembly, the Assembly has sole authority over the audio/visual record of its proceedings.
14. Access to and use of the audio/visual record of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly may be made available to media organizations upon permission being obtained from the Speaker’s office.
15. Members of the Legislative Assembly or members of the public may obtain an audio/visual copy of the record of the proceedings from the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.
16. The following conditions apply to the use of the record of proceedings of the Legislative Assembly by any person or organization:
a) the person or organization shall have a bona fide public interest in the use of that record;
b) the person or organization shall not use that record with purposeful distortion; and
c) the person or organization shall not use that record as part of any paid advertisement.
Any breach of these conditions or of the Copyright Act is an offence and may be prosecuted accordingly, or may be otherwise enforced by the Speaker and the Assembly.
17. The multi-media guidelines shall be observed in Standing or Special Committees in so far as they are applicable.
18. These guidelines shall be enforced by the Speaker. Specific concerns of Members regarding the televising of the proceedings of the Legislative Assembly should be raised directly with the Speaker.
19. The Speaker will establish and publish a broadcasting schedule that will afford the viewing public an opportunity to observe a broad perspective of the daily proceedings of the Legislative Assembly.