This is page numbers 5679 - 5712 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. View the webstream of the day's session.

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This recommendation came from the Human Rights Commission. The Minister stated that there was no time for consultation, because we are just seeing this now on the floor of the House. It was in the report. It has been years since that report. This committee, which undertook the review of this bill, read the report. When the committee went on the road, they asked explicitly, in every community that they went to, how people felt about this clause. It is a little disingenuous to say that there no consultation. There was consultation; it's in black and white in the report.

The Minister and the department knew about this recommendation. They read the report. They chose not to engage. The Minister stated that the small, local insurance providers probably don't even know about this. That is because the department never went to talk to them about it. There has been no meaningful alternative presented by the department. With other bills, there is a lot of back-and-forth between the committees and the departments, and in the end, we come to something that we can all agree on. We have seen nothing from the department to address this issue of prohibiting discrimination based on genetic characteristics.

The only reason that I see that this is being opposed is because of fear, fear of a lobbyist group. I have never before seen a document tabled in the House from a lobbyist group, and then an entire Cabinet position based on that document. This is the sort of thing that people think about when they think about politics. That is why a lot of us got into this, because of practices like that. We want to stop practices like that.

This might not be a perfect solution. This motion might not be the perfect motion, but it is better than anything that the department has brought forward. Because of those reasons, I am going to be supporting it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. To the motion. Mr. Thompson.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. First of all, I am going to support the motion. I took offence by the Minister saying there was no consultation process. I sit here and I have looked at it. If there needs to be changes and there needs to be some work done, there are some conversations and there are some changes and there are some recommendations. I didn't see any of this. What I saw was the report. The committee did a really good job, and here we go. It is about the people of the Northwest Territories. It is not about the industry.

It concerns me that we are listening to a lobbyist group. We had a lobbyist group attend a public meeting on Tuesday. Am I supposed to sit there and go, "Well, there is a lobbying group. I should be sitting there and supporting them"? No. You are supposed to be making decisions for the people of the Northwest Territories, and that is what it is about. It concerns me that we are being scared of the insurance company. I think my colleagues on this side here have spoken well about this, and I can't add anything further except I will be supporting this motion. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. To the motion. Ms. Green.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am in support of this motion because I am in support of evidence-based decision-making. I have talked about it consistently through the life of this Assembly. What I have heard and seen from the evidence that the committee has collected, this amendment that they are proposing is a reasonable amendment. I haven't heard any reason that it should not be adopted on the evidence.

I have heard a lot of speculation instead from the government side of the House. What they have done is set up a series of straw men to knock down that shows that somehow this is going to be the end of insurance as we know it. I don't for one moment think that insurance companies are going to forfeit their profits in the Northwest Territories because we will legislate that genetic characteristics are a prohibited grounds of discrimination. I realize that they are not going to reconsider their decision. I regret very much that they are not evidence-based decision-makers, but that is the reality of this place at this time. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Question has been called. The Member has requested a recorded vote. All those in favour.

Recorded Vote
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Committee Clerk Of The House Ms. Franki-Smith

The Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Yellowknife North.

Recorded Vote
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The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

All those opposed, please rise.

Recorded Vote
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Committee Clerk Of The House Ms. Franki-Smith

The Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, the Member for Great Slave, the Member for Yellowknife South, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Sahtu.

Recorded Vote
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The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

All those abstaining, please rise. The results of the recorded vote: seven in favour, nine opposed. The motion is defeated.

---Defeated

Recorded Vote
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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Clauses 3 and 4.

---Clauses 3 through 5 inclusive, approved

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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Clauses 6 and 10. Is committee agreed?

---Clauses 6 through 27 inclusive, approved

Recorded Vote
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The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Clause 28. Minister Sebert.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Chair, I move that Clause 28 of Bill 30 be amended (a) by deleting subclause (1) and substituting the following:

28.(1) Complaints accepted under Section 29 of the Human Rights Act before August 1, 2019, shall proceed in accordance with the Act as it reads on July 31, 2019.

(b) in subclause (2), by striking out "March 31, 2019," and substituting "July 31, 2019." Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister Sebert. 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. To Clause 28 as amended. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. Clause 29. Minister Sebert.

Louis Sebert

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Mr. Chair, I move that subclause 29(1) of Bill 30 be amended by striking out "April 1, 2019" and substituting "August 1, 2019." Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. There is a motion on the floor. It is being distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion. I will put the question to committee. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Clause 29, as amended. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

The Chair

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, committee. That was the last clause. We will return to the bill number and title. Bill 30: An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, as amended. Does committee agree?