Clause 25.

Regulations, clause 26.

Page 13, transitional, clause 27.

Clause 28.

Page 14, consequential amendments, clause 29.

Repeal, clause 30.

Commencement, clause 31.

To the bill as a whole.

Thank you. Does the committee agree that Bill 11 is ready for third reading?

Thank you, committee. Bill 11 is now ready for third reading. Mahsi. Thank you, Mr. Minister. Thank you, Mr. Doan and Ms. Veinott, for being with us here this afternoon; much appreciated. Now I'll ask what is the will of committee? Thank you, committee. Committee had previously agreed to go with Bill 7. Is that still the will of committee?

Agreed, okay. Thank you, committee. We will now proceed with Bill 7. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to introduce Bill 7, Pharmacy Act. This bill reflects a significant number of differences from the existing Pharmacy Act to ensure the public receives quality pharmaceutical service and care, and to modernize the definition of the "practice of pharmacy."

Many stakeholders were involved in the development of this act, including the Pharmaceutical Association of the Northwest Territories, the NWT Medical Association, the Registered Nurses' Association of the NWT and Nunavut, the NWT Medical Director's Forum, and the regional health and social services authorities. We appreciate their involvement and the time they have dedicated to helping develop this act. They will continue to be involved during the development of the regulations.

We need to bring the Pharmacy Act up to date with modern practices, as the existing act is 53 years old. IT does not permit pharmacists to accept faxed prescriptions. The existing act has an inadequate discipline process not consistent with modern practice. The drug schedules are too out of date to be useful, and provisions of the act make it very difficult to respond in a timely manner when there are changes needed to the list of drugs that nurse practitioners or midwives are permitted to prescribe.

The new Pharmacy Act will recognize health care professionals and will also recognize the National Association of Pharmaceutical Regulatory Authorities' drug schedules. These national lists are kept up to date. The department will enact regulations in a variety of areas including the establishment of a prescription-monitoring program.

In the provinces, regulatory colleges for each profession are in charge of licensing and registered pharmacists, and discipline. They also regulate the operation of pharmacies, including business hours and store layout.

In the NWT, there are too few pharmacists to establish a college structure. The GNWT will continue to administer licensing and registration, and an independent committee of peers who will manage any disciplinary process. The new act will also allow for disciplinary provisions such as an alternative dispute resolution process. It should be noted that we have never had a complaint about a pharmacist in the NWT. The new act will not regulate the business aspects of pharmacies but focuses on the profession only.

When this act was reviewed by the Standing Committee on Social Programs, concerns were raised by stakeholders regarding section 20 of the initial bill, which gave pharmacists prescribing powers. Concerns were also raised regarding the unclear authority of the practice of a nurse dispensing. The department worked with the standing committee and stakeholders to resolve these concerns, which resulted in amendments being made to the bill by the standing committee. I am confident this amended bill still gives pharmacists the flexibility they need to successfully practice in the NWT. That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Minister Roland. I'd now like to ask the chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, Ms. Lee, to provide committee's comments on the bill. Ms. Lee.