Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 11 has had second reading and stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 12, Public Health Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill replaces the Public Health Act and the Disease Registries Act. It provides a comprehensive framework for the protection and promotion of public health in the Northwest Territories. Consequential amendments are made to the Education Act, the Medical Profession Act and the Mental Health Act. The Public Health Act and the Disease Registries Act are repealed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 12 has had second reading and stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 13, Change of Name Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill repeals and replaces the existing Change of Name Act, to provide an efficient scheme for changing the names of individuals, including giving enhanced public notice of name changes through accessible means of publication.

The registrar general of vital statistics will enter a change of name in the change of name register, publish notice of the change of name and provide notice of the change to certain authorities. The Minister may direct that the records of a change of name be sealed if he or she is satisfied that the change is intended to prevent significant harm to a person.

An objection to a change of name may be made to the registrar general, and the registrar general may revoke a change of name in certain circumstances. An appeal may be made to the Supreme Court.

A person may use his or her spouse's surname or, on breakdown or dissolution of the spousal relationship or the death of his or her spouse, resume using a surname that he or she had before the commencement of the spousal relationship without making an application under the act.

The Supreme Court may also change a person's name when it grants a divorce or makes an order annulling a marriage.

This bill makes consequential amendments to the Vital Statistics Act, to provide for making applications for changes of name to the registrar general appointed under the Vital Statistics Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 13 has had second reading and stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 14, Employment Standards Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill replaces the Labour Standards Act, the Employment Agencies Act and the Wages Recovery Act with a single statute.

The bill applies to all employers and employees, subject to certain exceptions, and restricts the circumstances in which persons 16 years of age or younger may be employed.

The bill fixes the standard and the maximum hours of work in a day and in a week, subject to certain exceptions, and provides entitlements to overtime pay, vacation pay and holiday pay, as well as to unpaid pregnancy leave, parental leave, sick leave, compassionate leave, bereavement leave and court leave. The minimum wage would be prescribed by regulation.

An employment standards officer would have primary responsibility for enforcing employment standards and would be empowered to hear complaints and to make orders, including orders to compensate or reinstate an employee. The bill also provides for the appointment of adjudicators to hear appeals under the act.

Employers would be required to maintain employment records and to provide advance notice of termination to affected employees and their trade union, if any, where the employment of large numbers of employees is terminated.

The bill provides for enforcement and establishes offences and penalties for contraventions of the act or regulations or of orders made under the act. Orders for wages are deemed to have special priority in relation to other security interests filed under the Personal Property Security Act and the Land Titles Act.

The bill authorizes the making of various regulations, including regulations implementing the act and regulations providing for licensing of employment agencies.

The Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Act, the Financial Administration Act, the Interpretation Act and the Seizures Act are consequentially amended, and the Employment Agencies Act, Labour Standards Act and Wages Recovery Act are repealed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 14 has had second reading and stands referred to a committee. Second reading of bills. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to provide that a transition allowance may be paid to a Member who resigns his or her seat in the Legislative Assembly. The bill also provides that no Member may, by virtue of a break in service, receive a transition allowance that exceeds the annual indemnity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question is being called. All those in favour? Those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 69(2) and have Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, moved into Committee of the Whole. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Bill 16 has had second reading and is referred to Committee of the Whole.

Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 8 and Bill 16, with Mr. Ramsay in the chair.

Thank you. I'd like to call Committee of the Whole to order and ask what is the wish of the committee. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 8, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2007-2008. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. We will do that after a short break. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Good afternoon. I will call Committee of the Whole Back to order. Thank you, Members. Yesterday, we left off on page 11. I'd like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in any witnesses.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.