Thank you, Mr. Steen. We have a motion and the motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour, please signify. Thank you. All those opposed? Thank you. The motion is carried.

---Carried

---Applause

Bill 6 has had second reading and is, therefore...The honourable Member for Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 6, Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) on this bill. Are there any nays? There are no nays. The bill stands referred to Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you. Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. We have a motion. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour, please signify. Thank you. All those opposed? Thank you. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 7 has had second reading. The honourable Member for Nunakput.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have the bill forwarded to Committee of the Whole for today. Are there any nays? There are no nays, therefore, Bill 7 has had second reading and, accordingly, will be moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Elections Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Elections Act to provide that persons imprisoned in correctional institutions may vote at an election by way of special ballot, and clarifies that persons who are incarcerated, attending studies or undergoing medical treatment outside of the Northwest Territories do not lose their residency during the period of that absence from the Territories. The bill adjusts the time within which a candidate may withdraw his or her candidacy, requires the Chief Electoral Officer to arrange the printing of the required number of ballots for an electoral district and extends the period within which the Chief Electoral Officer must arrange for the publication of notice of an advance poll in a newspaper. In addition, the bill corrects several provisions that contain references that no longer pertain in view of the earlier amendments to the act, and minor amendments are made to the French version of provisions related to the content of the ballot paper. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour, please signify. Thank you. All those opposed? Thank you. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 8 has had second reading. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Elections Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 8 moved into Committee of the Whole for today. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to Committee of the Whole for today. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bills 3, Bill 6, Bill 7 and Bill 8, committee reports 3-14(6), 4-14(6) and 5-14(6), with Mr. Delorey in the Chair.

I'll call the committee to order. We're here to have a number of issues discussed in Committee of the Whole. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Mr. Chairman, I'd like to recommend the committee continue its consideration of Bill 3 and committee reports 3-14(6), 4-14(6) and 5-14(6) concurrently, and that we continue with the detail of consideration of the Department of Health and Social Services budget.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The Chair calls for a break, and we will come back to review the Department of Health and Social Services.

---SHORT RECESS

I call the Committee of the Whole back to order. We are here to review health and social services. Does the Minister wish to bring in any witnesses?

HON. MICHAEL MILTENBERGER: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I would.

Does the committee agree?

Sergeant-at-Arms, can you escort the witnesses in, please? For the record, Mr. Minister, could you introduce your witnesses, please.