NWT Act
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N-27
An Act respecting the Northwest Territories
SHORT TITLE
This Act may be cited as the Northwest Territories Act.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 1.
INTERPRETATION
2 Definitions
In this Act,
2 "Commissioner"
"Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories;
2 "Commissioner in Council"
"Commissioner in Council" means the Commissioner acting by and with the advice and consent of the Council;
2 "Council"
"Council" means the Council of the Northwest Territories;
2 "Court"
"Court" means the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories;
2 "intoxicant"
"intoxicant" includes alcohol, alcoholic, spirituous, vinous, fermented malt or other intoxicating liquor or combination of liquors and mixed liquor a part of which is spirituous, vinous, fermented or otherwise intoxicating and all drinks, drinkable liquids, preparations or mixtures capable of human consumption that are intoxicating;
2 "Minister"
"Minister" means the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development;
2 "ordinance"
"ordinance" includes an ordinance of the Territories passed before, on or after April 1, 1955;
2 "public lands"
"public lands" means any land, and any interest in any land, in the Territories that belongs to Her Majesty in right of Canada or of which the Government of Canada has power to dispose;
2 "Territories"
"Territories" means the Northwest Territories, which comprise
(a) all that part of Canada north of the sixtieth parallel of north latitude, except the portions thereof that are within the Yukon Territory, the Province of Quebec or the Province of Newfoundland, and
(b) the islands in Hudson Bay, James Bay and Ungava Bay, except those islands that are within the Province of Manitoba, the Province of Ontario or the Province of Quebec.
R.S., 1985, c. N-27, s. 2; 1993, c. 41, s. 9.
PART I
GOVERNMENT
Commissioner
3 Appointment
3. The Governor in Council may appoint for the Territories a chief executive officer called the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 3.4(1) Deputy Commissioner
4. (1) The Governor in Council may appoint a Deputy Commissioner of the Territories.
4(2) Powers of Deputy Commissioner
6 Exmmissioner shall, before assuming the duties of their respective offices, take and subscribe such oaths of office and allegiance in such manner as the Governor in Council may prescribe.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 6; 1974, c. 5, s. 9.
Seat of Government
8 Location
8. The seat of government of the Territories shall be at such place as may be designated by the Governor in Council.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 7.
Council
9(1) Council established
9. (1) There is hereby established a Council of the Northwest Territories the members of which shall be elected to represent such electoral districts in the Territories as are named and described by the Commissioner in Council
.9(2) Size of Council
(2) The Council consists of fifteen members, but the Commissioner in Council may make ordinances to increase or decrease the membership to a number not less than fifteen nor greater than twenty-five.
9(3) Duration of Council
(3) Every Council shall continue for four years from the date of the return of the writs for the general election and no longer, but the Governor in Council may at any time, after consultation with the Council where the Governor in Council deems consultation to be practicable or, otherwise, after consultation with each of the members of the Council with whom consultation can then be effected, dissolve the Council and cause a new Council to be elected.
9(4) Writs
(4) Writs for the election of members of the Council shall be issued on the instructions of the Commissioner.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 8; R.S., c. 48(1st Supp.), s. 14; 1974, c. 5, s. 10; 1978-79, c. 14, s. 1.
10 Oaths of office
10. Each member of the Council shall, before assuming the duties of his office, take and subscribe before the Commissioner such oaths of office and allegiance as the Governor in Council may prescribe.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 10.
11 Sessions of Council
11. The Commissioner shall convene at least two sessions of the Council in every calendar year so that twelve months shall not intervene between the last sitting of the Council in one session and its first sitting in the next session.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 11; 1984, c. 40, s. 54.
12(1) Speaker
12. (1) The Council shall elect one of its members to be Speaker.
12(2) Speaker to preside
(2) The Speaker shall preside over the Council when it is in session.
R.S., c. N-22, s. 11; 1974, c. 5, s. 12.
13 Quorum
13. A majority of the Council, including the Speaker, constitutes a quorum.
1974, c. 5, s. 12.
14 Qualifications of electors and candidates
15(1) Sessional indemnity and expenses
15. (1) Subject to subsection (3), each member of the Council shall be paid out of the Northwest Territories Consolidated Revenue Fund such annual indemnity and such travel and living expenses for each session of the Council as the Commissioner in Council may prescribe.
15(2) Indemnities and expenses of committee members
(2) Subject to subsection (3), each member of any committee of the Council shall be paid out of the Northwest Territories Consolidated Revenue Fund, in addition to his annual indemnity, such indemnity and such travel and living expenses as the Co, c. 48(1st Supp.), s. 16; 1974, c. 5, s. 13.
Legislative Powers of Commissioner in Council
16 Legislative powers
16. The Commissioner in Council may, subject to this Act and any other Act of Parliament, make ordinances for the government of the Territories in relation to the following classes of subjects:
(a) direct taxation within the Territories in order to raise a revenue for territorial, municipal or local purposes;
(b) the establishment and tenure of territorial offices and the appointment and payment of territorial officers;
(c) municipal institutions in the Territories, including local administrative districts, school districts, local improvement districts and irrigation districts;
(d) election of members of the Council and controverted elections;
(e) the licensing of any business, trade, calling, industry, employment or occupation in order to raise a revenue for territorial, municipal or local purposes;
(f) the incorporation of companies with territorial objects, including tramways and street railway companies but excluding railway, steamship, air transport, canal, telegraph, telephone or irrigation companies;
(g) the solemnization of marriage in the Territori