Yes. I am pleased to be here today to present Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Children’s Law Act. Bill 8 amends the Children's Law Act to allow for the establishment of a child support recalculation service. This service will allow child support payment amounts to be automatically recalculated using parents' updated income information on an annual basis. This will reduce the need for parents to go to court when there are changes in their income. It will be a free, simple, and transparent process for both parents and can help to reduce the conflict associated with variations of child support amounts. The recalculation service will also help to ensure that children receive adequate financial support.
There are currently nine jurisdictions in Canada with some form of recalculation service. It is important to ensure that NWT residents are provided with the type of family law supports that promote access to justice and are available to most Canadians. Additional amendments unrelated to the establishment of the service are also included in the bill. These changes are editorial in nature and are focused largely on modernizing language in the act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Development for its review of Bill 8. I would be pleased to answer any questions that the committee may have regarding the bill.