Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 8, Justice Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill makes minor amendments to seven acts that relate to the administration of justice in the Northwest Territories.
The Coroner's Act is amended to authorize a coroner to investigate a death, notwithstanding that the body has been destroyed or it is in a place from which it cannot be recovered, for example, deep water, or has been removed from the Northwest Territories. The amendments clarify that only a qualified pathologist may perform an autopsy, and delete a requirement that the pituitary glands of the deceased be removed during an autopsy. Finally, the amendments correct a number of instances where the words coroner is misspelled.
The Corrections Act, a number of minor corrections are made to the Act, including removing a reference pertaining to a remission of a sentence that accrued to an inmate before July 1, 1978, adjusting provisions that refer to the Parole Act Canada so that referred to the successor legislation the Corrections and Conditional Release Act Canada, and replacing a reference to the Canadian Penitentiary Services with a reference to its successor, the Corrections Services of Canada.
The Judicial Act is amended to permit the senior judge of the Supreme Court to convene meetings of the judges of the court to consider matters pertaining to the administration of justice. A mechanism is put in place so the reference to senior judge of the Supreme Court is changed to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. That position has been created by amendments to the Judge's Act Canada, and bringing into force Section 2 of An Act to Amend the Judicial Act, No. 2, NWT,1995, c-6.
The Securities Act is amended to clarify the registrar of securities may make a note exempting an applicant from requirements of the regulations, as well as requirements of the Act.
The Societies Act is amended to clarify that one or more deputy registrars of societies may be appointed to act on behalf of the registrar of societies.
That Statutes Revision Act is amended to provide that the statutes revision prepared for the Northwest Territories will include statutory material enacted on or before January 1, 2000, and to limit the items that must be included in the report submitted to the Minister of Justice by the statutes revision commissioner.
The Territorial Court Act is amended to make minor amendments to the provisions pertaining to the Northwest Territories judicial remuneration commission, including removing a transitional provision relating to the term of office members of the commission extending from 60 to 90 days the time available for the commission to hold an inquiry, and submit its report on the salaries and benefits of territorial judges, extending from 60 to 90 days the time available for the government to implement the recommendations of the commission and clarifying the implementation will take effect on April 1 of the year the commission report is provided to the Minister. The Act is also amended to substitute references to the chief justice of the Supreme Court for references to the senior judges of the Supreme Court. These latter amendments will not come into force until the position of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been created by amendment to the Judges Act of Canada, and bringing into force section 2 of An Act to Amend the Judicial Act No. 2, NWT, c-6. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.