This is page numbers 4361 - 4398 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Pursuant to Section 5 of the Indemnities, Allowances and Expense Regulations of the Legislative Assembly and the Executive Council Act, I wish to table the "Summary of Members' Absences for the period May 24, 2018, to October 10, 2018." Also, I wish to table the "Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly - 2018: Independent Auditor's Report - Child and Family Services - Department of Health and Social Services and Health and Social Services Authorities." Masi.

Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Member for Frame Lake.

Bill 24: An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act
Notices Of Motion For First Reading Of Bills

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. I give notice that, on Thursday, October 25, 2018, I will move that Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 24: An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act
Notices Of Motion For First Reading Of Bills

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The Speaker

The Speaker Jackson Lafferty

Masi. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 7, Chartered Professional Accountants Act; Minister's Statement 19-18(3), Aurora College Foundational Review Process; Minister's Statement 103-18(3), Marine Transportation Services; Tabled Document 215-18(3), Capital Estimates, 2019-2020, with Member for Hay River North in the chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Testart.

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Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The committee would like to consider Bill 7, Chartered Professional Accountants Act; and Minister's Statement 103-18(3), Marine Transportation Services. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Does committee agree?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. We will consider the documents after a brief recess.

---SHORT RECESS

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

I will call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 7, Chartered Professional Accountants Act. I will turn to the Minister of Finance to introduce the bill. Minister McLeod.

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm here to present Bill 7, Chartered Professional Accountants Act.

For over a decade, the three national accounting bodies, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Certified General Accountants Association of Canada, and the Certified Management Accountants of Canada, had discussed the possibility of merging their respective organizations into one comprehensive national accounting body.

In January 2013, a national unification framework was agreed to by the thr ee Canadian accounting bodies to create a new national body, Chartered Professional Accountants Canada or 'CPA.' Following this lead, in May 2013, the three professional accounting bodies of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut developed their own merger proposal to unify as a single professional accounting organization.

Towards these efforts, the Government of the Northwest Territories administration has worked closely with Nunavut and the NWT-Nunavut CPA Transitional Steering Committee to develop Bill 7. All three parties collaborated to propose legislation that contains similar content of legislation passed in other jurisdictions while recognizing the needs of a small jurisdiction like the NWT and Nunavut.

This joint legislation with Nunavut proposes to establish a new Chartered Professional Accountants Act in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and provides the legislative framework for CPA NWT/Nunavut to be a self-regulating body.

The three legacy Acts: Institute of Chartered Accountant's Act, the Certified General Accountants Act, and the Society of Management Accountants Act would consequently be repealed upon the new CPA Act coming into force. Should the legislation be passed, the NWT and Nunavut would join all other Canadian provinces and the Yukon who have already passed similar legislation.

That concludes my opening remarks, Mr. Chair. I am prepared for any questions Members may have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. I will next turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, which is the committee that reviewed this bill. Mr. Testart.

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Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Standing Committee on Government Operations is pleased to speak to our review of Bill 7: Chartered Professional Accountants Act.

Bill 7, sponsored by the Department of Finance, merges the three professional accounting bodies currently operating in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, following the lead of the three related national accounting bodies that merged in 2013. Bill 7 will repeal three existing NWT statutes and replace them with a single, new Chartered Professional Accountants Act. This bill is being coordinated with legislation in Nunavut to allow members of the newly-merged body, the Chartered Professional Accountants of Northwest Territories/Nunavut, known as CPA NWT/NU, to operate as one in both territories.

A public clause-by-clause review was held on October 10, 2018. This meeting had been deferred previously when our law clerk brought to the attention of the committee a concern shared by the law clerk in Nunavut, that clause 2 of Bill 7 raises a significant legal matter. As drafted, the bill proposed to establish the CPA NWT/NU as a single statutory corporation rooted in both jurisdictions, without stating in which jurisdiction the corporation is created, or pursuant to whose laws. I am pleased to report that our law clerk, legislative drafters in the Department of Justice, and the law clerk in Nunavut have collaborated on amendments to resolve the concerns which were brought forward as motions, and concurred with by the Minister of Finance. I am further pleased to report that the honourable Minister advised the committee that the organizations amalgamated under the CPA NWT/NU have been consulted on these proposed changes and are supportive of the recommended approach. I wish to thank everyone involved for this collaborative effort to ensure that we enact the best and most sound legislation possible.

Individual Members may have additional comments or questions as we proceed with consideration of this bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister, do you have witnesses you want to bring to the Chamber?

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I do, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber, and Minister, you may take your seat at the witness table with your witnesses.

Minister, please introduce your witnesses for the record.

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Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, to my right, I have Mr. Terence Courtoreille, Director of Management Board Services; and to my left, I have Mr. Mike Reddy, legislative counsel, Department of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. I will open the floor to general comments on Bill 7. One moment, committee. Just give me about two minutes here.

Thank you, committee. Sorry about that. Does committee agree there are no general comments to the bill?

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. We will proceed to a clause-by-clause review of Bill 7. It is quite a large bill, so we will consider the clauses in groups. We will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. I will call out the clauses, and committee, if you agree, please respond accordingly.

Please turn to page 12 of the bill. I will begin to call clauses. Clauses 1 to 5.

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 75-18(3): Bill 7: Chartered Professional Accountants Act - Amend the French Version of Subclause 6(11), CARRIED
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

October 23rd, 2018

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. Clause 6? Mr. Testart.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill 7 be amended in the French version of that portion of subclause 6(11) preceding paragraph a) by striking out "ou de la loi equivalente au Nunavut." Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Testart. There's a motion on the floor. The motion is being distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee.

---Clauses 1 through 101 inclusive approved