Debates of Nov. 3rd, 2020
This is page numbers 1593 - 1652 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd 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 money.
Topics
- Oral Questions
- Members Present
- Prayer
- Minister's Statement 90-19(2): The Benefits and Importance of the Mineral Resource Sector
- Minister's Statement 91-19(2): Training, Skills Development, and Partnerships across the Northwest Territories
- Non-Renewable Resource
- Land Leases
- Indigenous Language Interpreters
- Paulatuk Sewage Lagoon Project
- Women in Skilled Trades (STEM)
- Seniors
- Oral Health
- Northwest Territories Power Corporation Board
- Dental Services in Small Communities
- Retirement of Mark Gerlock
- Committee Report 6-19(2): Report on Remote Sittings
- Motion to Receive Committee Report 6-19(2) and Move into Committee of the Whole, Carried
- Committee Report 7-19(2): Report on the Review of the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 Annual Reports of the Official Languages Commissioner
- Question 451-19(2): Land Leases
- Question 452-19(2): Interpreters
- Question 453-19(2): Seniors and Elders Strategy
- Question 454-19(2): Northwest Territories Economy Support for Service Industry
- Question 455-19(2): Northwest Territories Power Corporation Board
- Question 456-19(2): Dental Practice in Small Communities
- Question 457-19(2): Extension of Water and Sewer Project in Paulatuk
- Question 458-19(2): Non-Renewable Resources Sector Support
- Question 459-19(2): Change Dental Auxiliaries Act
- Question 460-19(2): Isolation Centres
- Tabled Document 218-19(2): 2019 Socio-Economic Agreement Report for Mines Operating in the NWT Tabled Document 219-19(2): Economic Context of Ekati Diamond Mine Closing Tabled Document 220-19(2): 2019 Survey of Mining Employees: NWT Bureau of Statistics Tabled Document 221-19(2): 2019 Ekati Diamond Mine Socio-Economic Agreement Report
- Tabled Document 222-19(2): Aurora College Corporate Plan, 2020-2021
- Tabled Document 223-19(2): Economic Context of Ekati Diamond Mine Closing Tabled Document 224-19(2): Government Revenues as Reported in the Extractive Sector Transparency Measures Act Annual Reports from Dominion Diamond (Ekati) Tabled Document 225-19(2): 2019 Ekati Diamond Mine Socio-Economic Agreement Report
- Motion 22-19(2): Appointment of Law Clerk
- Motion 23-19(2): Appointment of Sole Adjudicators
- Motion 24-19(2): Changes to Committees Membership
- Motion 25-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to February 3, 2020
- Bill 20: An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act
- Bill 17: An Act to Amend the Corrections Act
- Bill 18: An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act
- Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
- Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
- Committee Motion 55-19(2): Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No.2, 2020-2021 - Deletion of $8,277,000 from Department of Health and Social Services COVID Secretariat, Defeated
- Recorded Vote
- Committee Motion 56-19(2): Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No.2, 2020-2021 - Deletion of $5,000,000 from Department of Health and Social Services COVID Secretariat, Defeated
- Committee Motion 57-19(2): Concurrence Motion - Tabled Document 217-19(2): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021, Carried
- Report Of Committee Of The Whole
- Bill 15: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2020
- Recorded Vote
- Orders Of The Day
Bill 18: An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1617

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler
The Minister of Justice is seeking unanimous consent to refer Bill 18 directly to Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Are there any nays? As there are no nays, Bill 18 is referred to the Committee of the Whole for consideration later today.
---Unanimous consent granted
Second reading of bills. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
November 3rd, 2020
Page 1617

R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Student Financial Assistance Act to prohibit the inclusion of student's personal information in the public accounts, notwithstanding the Financial Administration Act. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler
The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Member for Frame Lake.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Merci, Madame la Presidente. Yes. I wish to speak to the principle of this bill. The current practice is that, of course, we provide good assistance and support for our students when they go off to study in post-secondary institutions, and that's a good thing. We also want to encourage them to come back to the Northwest Territories, and we have a loan remission program, and I think that is a way to ensure that our investment is protected. We want our students to come back here to the Northwest Territories.
The problem has been, in my view, that, when they come back to the Northwest Territories, the remissions that the individual students receive have been reported publicly with their individual names in the public accounts now for a number of years. That practice takes up space in the public accounts and has been characterized by some as an invasion of the students' privacy. The Standing Committee on Government Operations in the last Assembly reported several times and recommended that this practice stop, that it was an unnecessary disclosure of the students' private information. There was correspondence between the Information and Privacy Commissioner and the Comptroller General that I tabled in the last Assembly, as well, on this matter.
In working through it, it appeared that the best way to stop this practice was to actually amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, so I want to commend the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for working with me as an individual Member to bring forward this change. It's something that I support and have worked toward for several years, so I'm very pleased to see this come forward today. I want to commend the Minister, again, and I think this is an illustration of how consensus government can truly work. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618
Some Hon. Members
Question.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Bill 19 has had second reading. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618

R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive rule 73(2) to have Bill 19 moved directly into Committee of the Whole for consideration. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Bill 19: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Second Reading Of Bills
Page 1618

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler
Thank you, Minister. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is seeking unanimous consent to refer Bill 19 directly to the Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Are there any nays?
---Unanimous consent granted
As there are no nays, Bill 19 is referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Minister's Statement 77-19(2), National Housing Co-investment Fund; Tabled Document 165-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2), Report on Long-term Post-Pandemic Recovery, Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 166-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2): Report on the Long-term Post-Pandemic Recovery, Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 167-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2): Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 181-19(2), Capital Estimates 2021-2020; Tabled Document 217-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021; Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act; Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act; and Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, with the Member for Member for Hay River South in the chair. By Motion 1-19(2), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider the business before the House. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1618

The Chair Rocky Simpson
I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the will of the committee? Mr. Norn.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1618

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Marsi cho, Mr. Chair. The committee wishes to consider the following documents: Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act; Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act; Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act; and, lastly, Tabled Document 217-19(2), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2020-2021. Marsi cho, Mr. Chair.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1618

The Chair Rocky Simpson
Thank you, committee. We will take a short, five-minute break. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1619

The Chair Rocky Simpson
I will call the Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act. I will ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1619

R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to present Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight for their review and for Members supporting the expedited consideration of this bill. As work progressed on the development of regulations to support the coming into force of the new NWT Corrections Act, the department concluded that Section 42 of the act lacked clarity. This section deals with the process for when the rules of a correctional centre are believed to have been breached by an inmate and when disciplinary or corrective measures are subsequently taken.
The amendment will ensure that inmates are properly informed of the reasons for both a finding of guilt and the imposition of a disciplinary or corrective measure. It will clarify their right to appeal both decisions, and it will ensure that the director of investigations and standards has sufficient authority to either reject an appeal or provide an inmate with redress. This will support procedural fairness for inmates and their right of appeal under the act. This concludes my opening remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding Bill 17. Thank you.
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 1619

The Chair Rocky Simpson
Thank you, Minister. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?
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