Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "GNWT Response to CR 8-18(2): Report on the Review of the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 Annual Reports of the NWT Information and Privacy Commissioner." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Early Childhood Development Action Plan 2017-2020." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. The Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 438-18(2): Empowering Local Governments." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you. I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up on Tabled Document 355-18(2): Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 385-18(2): Changes to Cities, Towns and Villages Act." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents.

Pursuant to Section 5 of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the Summary of Members' Absences for the Period January 31, 2017 to May 24, 2017. Masi. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on June 2, 2017, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, September 19, 2017;

AND FURTHER that at any time prior to September 19, 2017, if the Speaker is satisfied after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice, and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Masi. Item 18, first reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 31: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) No. 2, 2017-2018, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Bill 31 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 32: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2017-2018 be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Bill 32 has had first reading. Item 19, second reading of bills. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 28, Interpretation Act be read for the second time. This bill sets out fundamental concepts governing the rest of the Northwest Territories' legislation. It:

● sets out key principles of statutory interpretation;

● identifies the elements in a legislative text that are to be considered part of the text;

● provides standard definitions of commonly-used words and expressions;

● provides standard sets of provisions regulating aspects of the operation of all enactments, such as the effective time of commencement, the effect of repeal and amendment, the calculation of time, and the making of regulations; and

● provides standard sets of provisions regulating the powers of corporations, judicial officers, and public officers.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed?

---Carried

Bill 28 has had second reading. It is now referred to committee. Second reading of bills. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 29, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017, be read for the second time. This bill corrects inconsistencies and errors in the statutes of the Northwest Territories. The bill also deals with other matters of a minor, non-controversial and uncomplicated nature in the statutes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Section 77(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to advise the House that I have a conflict of interest in Bill 30, Health Statutes Law Amendment Act. This bill amends the Public Health Act to clarify that the Commissioner may make regulations respecting cremation and crematoria. Mr. Speaker, my spouse is a funeral planner and, as such, has a private interest in this bill. I will excuse myself from the Chamber during consideration of this matter. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Duly noted. You may be excused while we are dealing with Bill 30. Second reading of bills. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 30, Health Statutes Amendment Act (Cremation Services) be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Public Health Act to clarify that the Commissioner may make regulations respecting cremation and crematoria. This bill also amends the Vital Statistics Act to define cremation and crematorium and prohibit cremation except by a funeral planner in a crematorium operated by a funeral planner. Merci, Monsieur le President.

Masi. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Member for Frame Lake.