The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

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

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.

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

To the principle of the bill.

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.

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.

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.

The Chair Rocky Simpson

I call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the will of the committee? Mr. Norn.

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.

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, committee. We will take a short, five-minute break. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

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.

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.

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?