Conclusion of consideration of Tabled Document 437-19(2), capital estimates, will be deferred -- or 2022-2023 has been deferred.

Committee, we'll just take a short recess and get ready to consider Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act.

---Recess

I will now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to consider Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act. I will ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to present Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act.

Bill 36 proposes an amendment to the Territorial Court Act that would allow for more discretion in the appointment of a judge to the Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee. The function of the advisory committee is to make recommendations to the Commissioner and Executive Council respecting the appointment of territorial judges. The Territorial Court Act currently requires that the committee be comprised of the chief judge of the territorial court and the next most senior territorial judge, two members of the Law Society of the Northwest Territories appointed by that body, and four persons appointed by the Commissioner and Executive Council who are neither judges nor members or former members of a law society in Canada.

This is problematic because it may be impossible for the next most senior territorial judge to sit on the committee in the event of serious illness, disability, conflict of interest, or even planned vacation leave. This could affect the quorum of the committee and frustrate the committee's ability to complete its work in a timely fashion.

To address this issue, the proposed amendment will allow the chief judge, in consultation with the other judges, to appoint the additional judge to the committee without requiring the judge to be the next most senior territorial judge.

This concludes my opening remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding Bill 36. Thank you.

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

Yes, I would.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses to the Chamber.

Minister of Justice, please introduce your witnesses for the record.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On your left, Madam Chair, we have Karin Taylor, acting assistant deputy minister, attorney general; and Christina Duffy, director, legislation division. Thank you.

Sorry, can you repeat the first...

Ms. Karin Taylor on your left, and on your right Ms. Christina Duffy.

Thank you. All right. So I will now open the floor to general comment on Bill 36. Members have ten minutes to speak to the bill each if they choose to do so. Questions? Does anybody want to speak to the bill? No? I see no comments.

Does committee agree to proceed to a clause by clause review of the bill?

Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses.

Please turn to page 1 of the bill. Clause 1, does committee agree?

Clause 2, does committee agree?

Committee, to the bill as a whole, does committee agree that Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act is now ready for third reading?

Thank you, committee. Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act is now ready for third reading. Does the committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 36, an Act to Amend the Territorial Court Act?

Thank you, Minister, and thank you to our witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Member for Frame Lake, what are the wishes of committee?

Thanks, Madam Chair. I move that the Chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order, non-debatable. All those in favour? Opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried