Question has been called. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 64 has had second reading and is moved to standing committee.

The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 65, An Act to Amend the Safety Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Safety Act to provide more clearly for occupational health and safety programs, committees and representatives and a Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System, and repeal an amendment that never came into force and is no longer needed.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Question has been called. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 65 has had second reading and is referred to standing committee.

Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act; Committee Report 16-17(5), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2013-2014 Public Accounts; and Committee Report 19-17(5), Report on the Review of the Auditor General’s Report on Corrections in the NWT, with Mr. Bouchard in the chair.

I’ll call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We would like to consider Bill 66, Committee Report 16-17(5) and Committee Report 19-17(5).

Is committee agreed?

I’ll go to the mover of the bill. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act currently provides survivor benefits to a Member or a former Member’s dependent children if they are less than the age of majority or if they are under the age of 25, unmarried and attending school or university on a full-time basis.

The amendments to the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act will broaden the definition of a child to include an adult child who is dependent on a Member or a former Member for the necessities of life. This definition mirrors the Canada Income Tax Act definition of a child and will entitle a Member or a former Member’s adult dependent child to survivor pension benefits.

These amendments were drafted at the request of a current pensioner and are supported by the Board of Management of the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Do you have witnesses to bring into the House?

Yes.

Is committee agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my left I have Kelly McLaughlin, director, legislation division, Department of Justice; and my right-hand man, Mr. Tim Mercer, Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. I’ll open with general comments to the bill. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’d like to welcome Mr. Blake to the witness table, and colleagues.

Just some housekeeping items with respect to this act. When something like this comes into play it will definitely factor into the quantities, the dollar figures in the pension fund and make changes thereof. Has there been any actuarial performance done as to what impact this may have on our current plan?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ll refer that to Mr. Mercer.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. Mr. Mercer.

I appreciate the response to that. To the question of timing, if this bill goes through here, when does this bill become enacted in terms of affecting… I assume, it was brought forward by one of the pensioners. When would this trigger any type of monetary flow?