Marginal note:Appointment

3. The Governor in Council may appoint for the Territories a chief executive officer called the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories.

Marginal note:Deputy Commissioner

• 4. (1) The Governor in Council may appoint a Deputy Commissioner of the Territories.

• Marginal note:Powers of Deputy Commissioner

  (2) If the Commissioner is absent, ill or unable to act or the office of Commissioner is vacant, the Deputy Commissioner has and may exercise and perform all the powers and functions of the Commissioner.

Marginal note:Administration of government

5. The Commissioner shall administer the government of the Territories under instructions from time to time given by the Governor in Council or the Minister.

Marginal note:Executive powers

6. The executive powers that were, immediately before September 1, 1905, vested by any laws of Canada in the Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories or in the Lieutenant Governor of the Northwest Territories in Council shall be exercised by the Commissioner so far as they are applicable to and capable of being exercised in relation to the government of the Territories as it is constituted at the time of the exercise of those powers.

Marginal note:Oaths of office

7. The Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner 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.

Marginal note:Location

8. The seat of government of the Territories shall be at such place as may be designated by the Governor in Council.

Marginal note: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.

• Marginal note:Size of Council

  (2) The Council consists of fourteen members, unless the Commissioner in Council, by ordinance, fixes another number of members, not less than fourteen and not more than twenty-five.

• Marginal note: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.

• Marginal note:Writs

  (4) Writs for the election of members of the Council shall be issued on the instructions of the Commissioner.