Thank you, Madam Chair. Let me start off by thanking the Minister and the department today for listening to Members like myself and those who brought forward and supported a motion for change. Before I begin my general comments, I wish to remind everyone of the importance of what we are trying to accomplish today by recalling some startling facts.

A single organ donor can save up to eight lives and their tissue can help up to 50 people. With more than 5,000 Canadians on waiting lists for organ transplants, supply definitely cannot meet such demand. This is why, during my time as a legislator of the House, I strongly encouraged my colleagues and the department that we needed to improve this much dated act of 1988 and embarked on a mission of change, change that would modernize our approach to improving our Human Tissue Act with a comprehensive process, a framework and a proper consent process, all the while with the end goal of having all NWT residents having the ability of joining an online consent to donate registry.

Before I go further, it goes without saying, this journey did not start with me but is a continuance of many visionary Members who laid the groundwork for today. Members such as MLA Tony Whitford who, in 1994, tried to persuade Transportation Minister John Todd, who replied then, “It’s impractical.” Then it was Madam Chair herself, MLA Jane Groenewegen, in 1998 with Minister Calvin Ng with a response of, “We’re looking into the possibility of including an organ donation on the back of NWT health cards.” Of course, we know that this never occurred. Then in 2001 MLA Charles Dent raised the issue again with then Health Minister Michael Miltenberger, who announced a task force on organ and tissue donation. It was reported back in the House in August of 2002. Unfortunately, there was no legislative or public record of this task force report or action plan. In 2009, my other colleague MLA Mr. Robert Hawkins raised the issue with Health Minister Sandy Lee with a wavering reply of, “Organ donors or transplants are done in southern jurisdictions.” Finally, in 2013, my colleague MLA Norman Yakeleya, who currently seconded a motion I moved on the subject, who said, “It shows that we’re ready to move forward with a new organ donation plan. Indeed, he was right.”

It takes vision, faith and wisdom to support the necessary steps in improving our systems. My sincere thanks and admiration goes out to these former and current legislative Members who are paving the way for organ donation.

It is important to note that organ donation is, in itself, a difficult decision for any individual or family to make. As we move forward, I encourage all residents to have that important discussion with loved ones.

It goes without saying that I am equally appreciative that, in speaking with many elders throughout the Northwest Territories, we were able to enshrine and respect the cultural sensitivity around this legislation.

I know the department and the Minister share my interest on this legislation. I have utmost confidence they will continue the work needed in conjunction with the Government of Alberta to make this online consent to donate registry a smooth transition for all NWT residents. I know when this time happens, I will be one of the first in line to make that consent a reality.

The experience and preparation for today has been very humbling and extremely emotional for me personally. Amazingly, what started as a journey of bringing forward a private Members’ bill was soon marked with 100 percent support from all Regular Members in a motion of this House and then, finally, a welcoming legislative proposal from Cabinet.

It is interesting how things work out sometimes. Again, in support of this bill today, my many thanks reaches out to every Member of the Legislative Assembly and to the people they represent.

A journey usually starts with a purpose. In my case it started with a promise, a promise to a special northern family and to a very determined little Viking who is able to teach us many lessons. Promise fulfilled. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, MLA Dolynny. General comments. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to start by thanking MLA Dolynny for bringing this issue forward in the way he has done. Knowing him for some time, sometimes it does feel longer than just the 15 or 20 years, but he is relentless. The typical spirit he has when he has something in mind and when it’s important, it’s almost one of those things just to stay out of his way. He’s going to get it done. I’m grateful. He really picked up this issue and I can tell you today, we wouldn’t be talking about it without his spirit.

I remember the little Viking he’s talking about and what a situation that was. It was very heart- wrenching for everyone. It’s his family, but it’s also other families that need this opportunity, this gift of life, this gift of hope. This wasn’t won easily, and as MLA Dolynny has said, there are many people who have tried to break ground or make tracks on this issue. I think there’s also a situation maybe as Member Yakeleya said, we were right as in we’re at the right time for it. Like anything, we’re always enthusiastic and want to do things as soon as possible, but sometimes it just takes a while to get there. I want to deeply and sincerely thank MLA Dolynny for being the guy who’s been willing to carry the weight of this journey to now where we are today.

I want to thank the department for coming through and following through on this. This is an important initiative that will bring hope for many Northerners. It’s difficult to say who, because you just never know. You may be the one who needs this assistance. I can tell you the family knowing that mechanisms like this are coming into place, it’s difficult how to qualify how grateful and appreciative they will be. Sometimes just getting an extra month, a year, maybe five or 10 years out of somebody who may be lost before their time is amazing. Like anything, it’s what you do with it.

I’m just going to say this has been a challenging issue. I’m thankful for Mr. Dolynny’s relentlessness on this issue. If it hadn’t been led by him in the support of everyone – because it does take everyone at large – we may not be here today. It was great work. It was fantastic work. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. General comments. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would also like to echo my colleague’s comments and thank Mr. Dolynny for his work to bring this to fruition. I’d also like to thank the departments of Justice and Health for doing the work required to get the act to this point. I do agree with the Minister’s comments that Members have been listened to, their concerns have been listened to.

I think the main issue has been to get a comprehensive process in place for those who wish to donate organs and tissues. I’m appreciative of the Minister’s remarks that, although we don’t have our own program for organ and tissue donation, it will allow for residents to register their consent to donate tissues and organs after death through an online registry once one has been established.

I would just like to ask a question on where we are at with that. Is this through Alberta? Are we developing a relationship with Alberta? I know we have some earlier correspondence. Is there an update that the Minister can provide on this as we contemplate this bill? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to first start off by thanking all of the Members once again. This is something that was important to me as well as so many of the Members. I am honoured to have been able to carry this across the finish line on behalf of the Members.

We don’t have the ability to develop an online registry here in the Northwest Territories, but given that the majority of the individuals, or actually all of the individuals who will be donating tissues tend to go through Alberta, we’ve been working very closely with Alberta about joining into their online registry. Before the bill was even before the House, I did send the Minister in Alberta a letter outlining our desire to work together and be partners on this. The response back was in the positive that, yes, once we get ours up and running, we would be happy to work with you. They now have their online registry up and running. We’ve been working very closely with them to identify what our needs and expectations are as well as what their needs and expectations are. We have started moving forward to the point where we are actually at the point of costing it, figuring out what the cost will be so that we can move forward quickly in order to get that tool available to residents of the Northwest Territories. At the same time, we’re getting ready to go live with a bit of a marketing campaign to identify, once it’s up and running, what the program is, how you go about registering, how important it is for you to donate, recognizing that it is hard for some people to take that step and actually sign the

registry. We’re hoping, through dialogue and discussion and the types of things that are being brought up by Member Dolynny, Member Hawkins and yourself, as well as MLA Yakeleya, that individuals who start to show an interest and want to learn more about this and then go and get registered online.

So we are making good progress. I don’t have a date at this point in time. It depends on Alberta, but negotiations are going well. Like I said, we’re at a point where we’re getting down to the brass tacks and getting ready to figure out what the costs will be for us to be partners.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, I’ll leave at that, Madam Chair, and I will be monitoring how fast we can get this into force and get some of these other mechanisms up and running. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment to get that done. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. General comments.

Detail. Does committee agree that we should consider the 25 clauses of this bill in groups of five?

Agreed. Thank you. Bill 29, Human Tissue Donation Act, clauses 1 to 5.

---Clauses 1 through 5 inclusive approved

Clauses 6 to 10.

---Clauses 6 through 10 inclusive approved

Clauses 11 to 15.

---Clauses 11 through 15 inclusive approved

Clauses 16 to 20.

---Clauses 16 through 20 inclusive approved

Clauses 21 to 25.

---Clauses 21 through 25 inclusive approved

To the bill as a whole.

Does committee agree that Bill 29 is ready for third reading?

---Bill 29 as a whole approved for third reading

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Thank you, witnesses.

Committee, the next item on our agenda is Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Pharmacy Act, and I would like to ask Minister Abernethy, responsible for Health and Social Services, if he would please deliver his opening comments on the bill. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be here today to discuss Bill 32, An Act to Amend the Pharmacy Act.

The bill is straightforward. Through the amendment to the Pharmacy Act, the bill will allow for the establishment of a prescription monitoring program.

The bill will permit the provisions of the Pharmacy Act that establish a prescription monitoring program to prevail over the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

A prescription monitoring program is a program established to allow the sharing of a patient’s medical information among prescribers, pharmacists and the person with the third-party oversight role, to promote optimal prescribing and dispensing practices for legitimate medical uses.

The program will allow for tracking to monitor if patients are being over-prescribed by receiving multiple prescriptions, or if certain health care professionals are over-prescribing.

The program will assist in early identification of patients at risk for addiction and lead to a reduction in the misuse and abuse of drugs.

I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have today. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. I’ll now refer to the chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, Mr. Moses, to bring us the committee’s comments in review of the bill. Mr. Moses.