Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the Standing Committee on Legislation, I'm pleased to report on Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Nursing Profession Act.

The Standing Committee on Legislation has completed its review of Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Nursing Profession Act. The committee held public hearings on March 6, 1995 and received presentations from the NWT Registered Nurses Association and from the chairperson and four students of the nursing program offered at College West.

The committee thanked all the participants for participating in our review of this proposed legislation. The NWT Nursing Profession Act establishes the Registered Nurses Association as a corporation. The association manages their affairs and is directed by a board. The director has the authority to determine who can be certified in the association's registrar, and has the responsibility for the discipline and the conduct of the association's membership.

Under the present legislation, if a person is competent, has a satisfactory reputation, and is active and in good standing as a registered member in another provincial registering body, that person may be granted a certificate of registration by the NWT association, and they may use the title "registered nurse."

Bill 17 proposes to amend the section of the act which would deal with registration eligibility. The bill broadens the eligibility to include those persons who are competent and in good standing in the Yukon, as well as those who have completed an approved education program in the Northwest Territories and have completed the membership examinations.

Further, Bill 17 proposes to amend the Nursing Profession Act to allow for the establishment of an education advisory committee. This committee will be responsible for recommending the standards for nursing education programs as well as providing results of reviews on nursing education programs. The board of the association will receive the recommendations of the advisory committee and would forward those recommendations to the Minister for approval. The board would also have the responsibility of establishing and administering examinations to applicants who are applying for membership in the association.

The committee was assured by both the Minister and the president of the NWT Registered Nurses Association that the proposed amendments are consistent with provisions contained in other Canadian jurisdictions, and that the standards of the NWT are consistent with those jurisdictions.

Although the committee is fully supportive of the proposed amendments contained in Bill 17, the committee has one concern. All submissions received by the committee stressed that it was urgent that the proposed amendments receive support and passage immediately. All presenters stated that this urgency is dictated by the fact that the program currently offered by College West cannot be approved under the present legislation, and that the program must receive approval prior to the graduating of 28 students currently enrolled in the program.

The committee is concerned that this government implemented an educational program without the prerequisite changes to legislation receiving passage by the Assembly. In this instance, the time and money spent by the current students registered in the nursing program could be in jeopardy, should these amendments not receive approval in this House at this time. The committee is of the option that government should not sponsor educational programs prior to all the appropriate steps being taken. This will ensure that the students and the programs are not at risk.