Thank you, Madam Chair. We are here today to review Bill 17, Modernization of Benefits and Obligations Act.

The bill we are reviewing today does not address marriage. The Supreme Court recently confirmed that it is the exclusive responsibility of the federal government to define marriage.

A few weeks ago, the federal Justice Minister introduced the Civil Marriage Act in the House of Commons. If passed, it will extend legal capacity for civil marriage to same-sex couples while respecting religious freedom. Until this legislation is passed or there is a court decision in the Northwest Territories, the current definition of marriage in the NWT remains as a union between a man and a woman.

This bill ensures that people living in different types of spousal relationships have the same rights, benefits, duties and obligations. People who live together as a family will have the same rights, whether they are legally married or not. This bill ensures that same-sex couples will be treated the same as heterosexual common-law couples who live together in similar circumstances.

All across Canada, there have been court challenges that have resulted in courts and legislatures confirming the rights and obligations of same-sex couples. In most parts of the country, their legal status is the same as heterosexual common-law couples. These changes will ensure our legislation recognizes their rights and obligations.

This bill also amends a number of statutes to provide previously unrecognized rights and obligations to those in heterosexual common-law relationships. These will apply equally to those in same-sex relationships. In several of our statutes, references to "spouse" only include married spouses. This bill updates those references.

Finally, I would like to inform Committee of the Whole that at the appropriate time, I will bring forward amendments addressing concerns we received from Egale and making minor corrections to this bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.