NUNAVUT
A bill introduced at the Nunavut legislative assembly late last month is meant to bring the Nunavut Child and Family Services Act in compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Justice Robert Kilpatrick ruled this past Nov. 15 that Sections 24 and 26 of Nunavut's Child and Family Services Act violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Kilpatrick gave the territorial government one year to bring the act into compliance with the charter.

Both sections breach the charter because those sections allow too long a time frame to bring a matter before the court.

All other provinces and territories had adjusted their child protection acts following a Supreme Court of Canada ruling in 2000.

Bill 9 - an act to amend the Child and Family Services Act - is meant to bring the act in compliance with the charter.

It passed second reading on May 31.

"This bill amends the act to provide for judicial hearings within a limited time in all cases where a child is apprehended, including possible cases of apprehension to provide the necessary medical care," Tagak Curley stated in the legislature in May 31. "NWT-based references to aboriginal children and organizations are revised to more clearly reflect the population of Nunavut."

Bill to establish board of directors

Bill 10 - An act to amend the Nunavut Housing Corporation Act - is meant to establish a board of directors for the corporation and sets out its role. It passed second reading on May 31.

The territorial government announced earlier this year the Nunavut Housing Corporation would get a board of directors to oversee operations.

The change comes on the heels of an external audit by consultant firm Deloitte and Touche.

Nunavut designers catalogue launched

The Nunavut Sealskin and Fur Designers Catalogue was launched at the North American Fur and Fashion Exposition in Montreal earlier this spring, announced Environment Minister Daniel Shewchuk at the legislature on June 6.

Rowena House of the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association said the catalogue is divided into three sections. The first one contains the designer's bios with photos of their garments on the flip side page, she said.

She added the second part has information about the craft

companies in existence across the territory while the third section contains a territorial map with all the names and phone numbers of the locations where arts and crafts can be purchased.

House said the approximately 50-page catalogue is distributed to the fur industry as a whole and to anyone looking to buy a fur coat as they could pick their designer and garment style.

"We thought it was very needed just because it seemed to be a market that we were missing out on," said House. "Because there are quite a few people in the south that want to have coats made and there are actually quite a few people in the North that want to have coats made but don't know the designer to go to."

Nunavut Elections Act amended

A bill to amend the Nunavut Elections Act passed third reading at the legislature on June 7. Bill 12 amends the act to implement recommendations of the chief electoral officer in her 2009 annual report.

Amendments include clarified residence rules, and the limit on temporary absence from the community or territory has been set at a maximum of 10 months, with the exception of students

continuously attending school.

The act previously allowed any eligible Nunavut voter to run as MLA in any constituency in a general election but during a byelection, candidates had to reside in the constituency.

The bill changes the rules for by-elections to make them the same as in general elections.

The bill also allows the returning officer to appoint poll clerks

not qualified to vote.

The hansard states this will, for instance, enable youth to be exposed to the democratic process and gain work experience.

Bill 12 also calls for the amendment of the Public Service Act to allow a government employee to be appointed as an election official when there is no other suitable person in the community.

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