Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Minister of Justice and I were given a mandate by the Members of the Assembly to do something to improve the process of recognizing native custom adoption without legislating aboriginal customary law. The Aboriginal Custom Adoption Recognition Act accomplishes this task.
During preparation of this bill, three fundamental principles were kept in mind: aboriginal customary practices are to be respected; the process should be simple and should reflect this government's commitment to community-based decision-making.
It is a bill which makes it easier for custom adoptions to be recognized under existing federal and territorial legislation. The bill proposes that custom adoptions be reviewed in the communities by adoption commissioners.
These people will be able to work with the advice and support from the communities to ensure that the tradition of finding a safe, healthy home for a child occurs when a child is placed for adoption. This is more in keeping with traditional practices than what is presently being done.
Once the Aboriginal Custom Adoption Recognition Act is in force, a simple community-based process for recognizing custom adoptions will be in place. The process for issuing new birth certificates in the Northwest Territories will be streamlined and efficient.
Mr. Chairman, I recognize that some Members would prefer that there be no legislation at all on custom adoptions. While I respect this view, the fact is that existing law results in a very difficult, complicated process which causes many people to give up in frustration. Members of the Standing Committee on Legislation heard of some of those frustrations during their public hearings on this bill.
At the appropriate time, I will introduce two motions to amend the bill which have been drafted in response to suggestions made by Members of the Standing Committee on Legislation. The first motion clarifies that the adoption must take place in accordance with aboriginal customary law. The second motion clarifies the information which is to be contained in the substitute birth registration; specifically, the inclusion of the names of the birth parents. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.