Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Are there any further opening comments? Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to confirm; am I to understand that we are repealing this act and we’re not planning to bring another sort of updated equivalent in?

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is correct.

Thanks for that confirmation. I’ve just, by way of a question, the Minister is comfortable that the new federal legislation, which has been passed but we’re waiting for implementation, will provide a full opportunity for a credit union to be established in the Northwest Territories as an NWT institution under federal law.

It will provide anybody who’s interested in doing that in the Northwest Territories the avenue to do so, yes.

Thank you for that. The last question I have is the act that’s been passed, does it strive to ensure, sort of, the local benefits that we’ve come to expect from credit unions where investors have the opportunity to invest locally and see their dollars bring the greatest benefit possible to the local and regional economies?

The federal legislation does provide the cooperative features that many have become familiar with when it comes to credit unions across the country.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Are there any further opening comments? Is committee agreed we will move to detail?

Okay. Committee, we will defer the title page of the bill. We’ll move to page 1, clause 1.

---Clauses 1 through 3 inclusive approved

Okay. Committee, we will go back a page to the title page of Bill 13, An Act to Repeal the Credit Union Act. Does committee agree to the bill as a whole?

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that Bill 13, An Act to Repeal the Credit Union Act is now ready for third reading?

---Bill 13 as a whole approved for third reading

Thank you, Minister. Thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, if you would please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Committee, we’ll move onto Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, No. 3. The bill’s sponsor, Mr. Bouchard, I will go to you to introduce the bill. Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to provide opening comments on Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, No. 3.

Bill 15 amends the Human Rights Act to make the director of human rights an employee in the public service. The director will continue to be appointed by the Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, for a term of four years.

Bill 15 also allows the Legislative Assembly to make appointments to the Human Rights Adjudication Panel for terms ranging from two to four years. The amendment is proposed to help ensure that there is staggered turnover on the adjudication panel. It is anticipated that the vast majority of appointments to the panel will continue to be for four-year terms, such as the two appointments made to the panel earlier today.

Finally, Bill 15 allows the adjudication panel to appoint its own chairperson when both the chair and the deputy chair are absent or unable to act. This amendment ensures that the work of the panel is not unduly delayed for want of a chairperson.

In keeping with the Caucus protocol on legislation originating from the Board of Management, these amendments do not amend any of the substantive clauses of the Human Rights Act. They are administrative in manner and fall under those sections of the act that are administered by the Board of Management and Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

I would be happy to answer any questions you might have on the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Mr. Bouchard, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Yes, Madam Chair.

Does committee agree?

Sergeant-at-Arms, would you please bring the witnesses into the Chamber?

Mr. Bouchard, if you would introduce the witnesses to the Chamber, please.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative

Assembly. To my right is Kelly McLaughlin, acting director, legislation, Department of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. I will open the floor to general comments. Are there any general comments? Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a brief question as to… We seem to be modernizing this act. Is this act bringing us in line with what we’re seeing in other jurisdictions across Canada?