Yellowknife (Mar 10/06) - The government's wafer-thin agenda has left regular MLAs with an empty dance card, according to Great Slave MLA Bill Braden.

Great Slave MLA Bill Braden says he hopes government isn't trying to avoid controversy by not introducing new bills. - Mike W. Bryant/NNSL photo

Normally at this time of year, MLAs are preparing for committees, holding public hearings and reviewing bills. But Braden said cabinet's decision not to introduce new legislation at the close of the last sitting of the legislative assembly has left them without anything to do other than constituency work.

"Basically, for the next three months there's no new legislation. There's nothing for us to do," said Braden.

"It's very unusual for committees not to have some kind of work in front of them."

The legislative assembly's work came to a halt March 2 after MLAs - faced with no new legislation from cabinet - chose to shut down the assembly, which was in its in fourth session.

Usually, a new session begins the next day to introduce new bills so MLA committees can begin holding public reviews.

The legislative assembly won't sit again until May 30. That sitting will last for eight days. No public committee meetings are scheduled for June and the summer break runs from July 3 to Aug. 11.

Braden said he hopes cabinet isn't simply trying to hold off on bills they deem too controversial, such as a re-draft of the Liquor Act - which may allow for bars to open on Sundays - among other changes.

"If you take the example of the Liquor Act, that's exactly what at least two other assemblies have chosen not to handle because it's too much of a hot potato," said Braden.

"Is this cabinet trying to dodge it for the same reasons? I really hope not because there are things in that Liquor Act that are so out-of-date.

"It's a matter of political will to go in there and do what needs to be done. If it's controversial or unpopular, well then too bad."

Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee said she, too, has noticed a dearth of legislation coming from cabinet ministers.

"The big ones like the Wildlife Act and other things that have been consulted to death, they've all gone sideways," said Lee.

"All they've got are budget bills. Other than that, it's talking about retirement ages for the judges - just minimal, small bills."

House leader Charles Dent, who is in charge of directing the flow of legislation, said the decision to halt legislative business was with the MLAs, not cabinet.

Nonetheless, he doesn't anticipation a slow-down of the government's work.

"If we brought in another six pieces of legislation, that would've given the committee something to do," said Dent.

"But I don't think adding those six pieces to what we were going to have available by May or June will make a significant difference to the work the committees do."

Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya, who is chair of the MLA caucus, said he thinks there is still lots of work to do over the next three months, including meetings for the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight and the Circle of Northern Leaders in April.

He also believes the flow of legislation is going along just fine.

He said the 15th legislative assembly has passed 41 bills after the fourth session, compared to 40 after the fourth session by the 14th assembly.

One of the bills passed in the last session was the Tobacco Control Act, which greatly tightens restrictions on the sale of tobacco products.

"We've got lots of work ahead of us," said Yakeleya.

"It's not like we're doing nothing.

"Our time is really, really precious here."