Masi. The time for oral questions has expired. Item 9, written questions. Item 10, returns to written questions. Item 11, replies to Commissioner's opening address. Item 12, petitions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to present a petition supporting the matter of addictions treatment. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 287 handwritten signatures and 33 electronic signatures of Northwest Territories residents. Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories create a local addictions treatment centre in Yellowknife, creating easily accessible vital care and support locally. This would be a great asset to our community and the surrounding communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Petitions. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019;" and "Supplementary Estimates (Operation Expenditures), No. 2, 2018-2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Northwest Territories Manufacturing Strategy: What We Heard, January 2018." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I have two documents I would like to table today. The first is a letter dated April 10^th from the assistant deputy minister, Planning and Coordination, Department of Lands, to the executive director of the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. The second document I have, Mr. Chair, is a letter from the regional superintendent, North Slave Region, Department of Infrastructure, to the Honourable Lou Sebert, Minister of Lands. It is dated April 30, 2018, regarding the Tlicho all-season road. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Tabling of documents. Item 15, Notices of Motion. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 31, 2018, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that the 18^th Legislative Assembly requests that the Auditor General of Canada undertake a special audit of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway project and report thereon to the Legislative Assembly; and further, that the Auditor General assess project control, administration, and the long-term implications of related financial agreements; value for money; reporting; and adherence to standards for contracting and procurement;

And furthermore, that the Auditor General investigate and consider any other factors that, in his opinion, are relevant;

And furthermore, that all employees and officials cooperate fully with the Auditor General in providing all appropriate documents, papers, and information;

And furthermore, that the GNWT inform all relevant contractors of the nature and purpose of the special audit;

And furthermore, that the Auditor General be requested to complete the audit as soon as practicable and provide a report to the Legislative Assembly;

And furthermore, that the Speaker formally transmit this motion and the contents of our proceedings today to the Auditor General for his consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Notices of Motion. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 31, 2018, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife North, that the following persons be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for their reappointment to the Northwest Territories Honours Advisory Council, effective immediately for a term of three years:

Ms. Sabrina Broadhead of Hay River;

Mr. Danny Gaudet of Deline; and

Ms. Anne Peters of Yellowknife.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Notices of Motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 31, 2018, I will move that Bill 20, Ombudsperson Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, May 31, 2018, I will move that Bill 21, An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development Investment Corporation Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, Motions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Masi. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker. I spoke earlier today in my Member's statement about a number of the health implications that smoking in a vehicle would have while minors are in the vehicle. I want to share just a little bit more about different information that I have been able to collect through our research department that I think is important to share today. Hopefully, it helps garner support for today's motion.

Legal bans against smoking in vehicles when minors are present, Mr. Speaker, it is not new. This is common in Canada. There are at least eight provinces and territories that have such provisions in their legislation. Mr. Speaker, it is fairly straightforward. In some instances, for example in Alberta, their legislation as it relates to the Alberta Tobacco and Smoking Reduction has a simple statement that simply says, "Subject to section 5, no person shall smoke... in a vehicle in which a minor is present." It can be that simple.

Mr. Speaker, there is also some detail that has been provided with regard to various fines for offences. I won't get into that kind of detail here and now. I think that will be up to the government to potentially take consideration of.

In the NWT, smoking prohibition falls under the Tobacco Control Act. Part 3 of this act pertains to the protection against environmental tobacco smoke. This part prohibits smoking in a public place, which is quite broadly defined. Also, smoking in public transit and commercial vehicles is also prohibited.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize also that enforcement is an issue that some people might have concern with, but it is not easy, of course, to enforce such a law. These are the kinds of things similar to that of not using handheld devices and seatbelts that, with education and enforcement, over time these become effective ways of shaping the public's norms and producing the desired behaviour.

Mr. Speaker, I will not get much more into the health implications. I kind of described some of that in my Member's statement today. I just do want to say that there is a lot of public support for this type of law, and, besides the provinces and territories mentioned, there are numerous communities in Canada that have adopted bylaws to prohibit smoking in vehicles with minors present. The movement to adopt similar legislation is international in scope, by the way. Other jurisdictions that ban smoking in vehicles with minors present include Maine, California, Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan, and so on. In 2008, a poll by the Canadian Cancer Society found that 82 per cent of Canadians supported a ban on smoking in cars carrying children, and that 69 per cent of smokers supported such a ban. That's smokers, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, there are a number of jurisdictions across Canada that have implemented this, and I will be happy to share the background information and research that we have done on that with the respective department. So that is all that I have at this point. I look forward to hearing from other Members and hope for their support at the end of our proceeding. Thank you.

Masi. To the motion. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the mover, my colleague Mr. Vanthuyne, for leading this initiative. I believe in this legislation that will ban smoking in vehicles with minors. You know, the motion, the intended spirit and purpose of the motion is to protect the well-being and health of children, and that is what the motion tries to set forth. This government in the past has put in place legislation on banning handheld devices in vehicles and also seatbelt laws, so, similarly, this is another step that this government could take forward in ensuring that children don't experience the effects of second-hand smoke, especially cigarettes, in vehicles. For those reasons, I support this motion. Mahsi.

Masi. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I would like to thank the MLA for Yellowknife North for bringing forward this motion. I strongly support it. This issue about smoking in vehicles while children are present, that is something that was raised when I was Yellowknife city council, and we finally took steps to restrict and eventually ban smoking in public places, but it was something that we couldn't address ourselves. I know this from first-hand. My parents smoked in the vehicle when I was there. They just did not know any better. Eventually we got them to quit, though, and I am thankful for that. So I once again want to thank the Member for bringing this forward.

I would urge him, though, to consider bringing this forward as a private Member's bill. I think it's a perfect opportunity to do this, and, having done it myself with regard to cremation services, I would be more than happy to work with the Member to achieve that. The reason why I say that is it's going to take 120 days for the government to respond, and that does not really leave a lot of time for a bill moving forward. I strongly support this initiative and want to thank again the MLA for Yellowknife North in bringing it forward. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.