Nunavut MLAs to study pension bill a little longer

Joe Savikataaq, MLA for Arviat South, tabled a motion to extend the review period for Bill 1, the Nunavut Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, by four months. The motion passed in the legislative assembly Oct. 27. (FILE PHOTO)

Nunavut MLAs extended the review period for the proposed Northern Employee Benefits Services Pension Plan Act, which covers pensions for many government employees, by a further 120 days in an Oct. 27 vote in the legislative assembly.

Bill 1, also known as the NEBS Pension Plan, largely covers employees of municipalities and housing organizations in the territory, as well as other organizations that get their funding from government.

The Nunavut Employees Union opposes the bill, arguing that it does not provide employees with a guaranteed pension.

Joe Savikataaq, MLA for Arviat South and chair of the legislature’s standing committee on legislation, tabled the motion to extend the review period.

The bill, he said, is essentially the same as Bill 12 in the Northwest Territories. The NWT legislative assembly is also reviewing its identical bill at the same time.

“Given the shared nature of the pension plan between the two jurisdictions, it is essential that the two bills, which emerge from the two legislatures, be harmonized as possible,” Savikataaq told MLAs after he tabled the motion.

The motion “should in no way be interpreted as opposition to the idea of introducing new legislation to govern the NEBS pension plan,” Savikataaq said, adding that the plan will continue to run “and pay benefits to retirees as we work towards finalizing our consideration of this bill.”

The MLA acknowledged, without giving specifics, that “some organizations have called on both legislatures to kill both bills” and draft new ones. Both legislatures have also heard calls to pass the bills without amendments.

“Mr. Speaker, members of the standing committee do not believe that either extreme is necessary or desirable at this stage,” Savikataaq said.

Tom Sammurtok, who is responsible for the bill as minister of community and government services, replied that his department is “working closely with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Northern Employee Benefits Services Board, as well as keeping Nunavut municipalities informed,” on the bill’s progress.

“Mr. Speaker, my department will continue to move the legislation forward to ensure that municipal corporation employees are covered by a pension and can enjoy a good standard of living in their retirement years,” Sammurtok said.

All 11 regular MLAs voted in favour of Savikataaq’s motion, which passed. The government’s nine cabinet MLAs abstained.