Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current Mental Health Act is quite old, quite outdated. It’s truly not meeting the needs of the residents of the Northwest Territories. Moving forward with the Mental Health Act, the department released a discussion paper in November 2013 for review by residents of the Northwest Territories. From May to June 2014, the department consulted with key stakeholders on the proposed Mental Health Act as well as the discussion papers. In November we received the LP back from committee which gave us the ability to move forward and develop drafting instructions with the input of committee, because they had an opportunity to
review the discussion papers and hear much of the input. Once we got the input from the Members through the LP, we prepared the drafting instructions. Those drafting instructions have gone to the Department of Justice and the legislation is currently being drafted.
This is a massive piece of legislation. It’s not an amendment; it’s a brand new piece of legislation. As we are moving forward we had said and indicated that this will take 10 to 12 months, once we get the LP back, to actually go through the drafting process. This is a priority of mine; this is a priority of government; and I know it’s a priority of Members. We’re committed to trying and working really hard to have that legislation ready for the May/June sitting.
Right now, I have regular conversations with the Department of Health, and I’ve got commitment from the Minister of Justice to commit resources to this project to get it done by May/June. But we’re working on a tight deadline and we’re trying to get 10 to 12 months’ worth of work done in six months. I’m optimistic that we can do it and we’re hopeful to have the legislation in front of this House in May/June. There is a chance it may not happen, and if it doesn’t happen, I’ve committed to tabling the document in the life of this Assembly so that other people can start looking at it and reviewing it in anticipation of passing it in the 18th Assembly.
But my preference, the preference of Cabinet is to get that piece of legislation done for the May/June sitting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.