This is page numbers 2603 - 2636 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 community.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. The motion is non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, Minister. Bill 28 has had its first reading. First reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Minister of Infrastructure.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Revolving Fund Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Revolving Funds Act to increase from $1 million to $3 million the maximum fiscal year-end debit or credit balance in the Petroleum Products Stabilization Fund. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 24 has had its second reading and is referred to the standing committee of the Legislative Assembly for review. Second reading of bills. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Education Act
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 2613

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Education Act to allow Members of a district education authority to have terms of office of two, three, or four years corresponding to the term of the members of the governing body of the community that the district education authority represents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Education Act
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 2613

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Education Act
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 2613

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Education Act
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 2613

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 25 has had its second reading and is referred to the standing committee of the Legislative Assembly for review. Second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

Bill 28: Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2021-2022
Second Reading Of Bills

March 30th, 2021

Page 2614

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 28, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2021-2022, be read for the second time. This bill authorizes the Government of the Northwest Territories to make appropriations for operations expenditures for the 2021-2022 fiscal year. It also sets out limits on amounts that may be borrowed by the Commissioner on behalf of the government, includes information in respect of all existing borrowing and all projected borrowing for the fiscal year, and authorizes the making of disbursements to pay the principal of amounts borrowed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 28 has had its second reading. Second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Committee Report 9-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election, with the Member for Hay River South in the chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

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

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Marsi cho, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to consider Committee Report 9-19(2), Report on the Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election. Marsi cho, Mr. Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. Does committee agree?

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item.

---SHORT RECESS

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Committee, we have agreed to consider Committee Report 9-19(2), Report on the Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election. I will go to the chair of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures for any opening comments. Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. The Elections and Plebiscites Act requires the Chief Electoral Officer to present a report on the administration of the election within six months of the election. The report has any matters that the Chief Electoral Officer thinks should be brought to the Legislative Assembly's attention. It also includes recommendations on how to improve election administration and any suggested amendments to the act. This report was sent to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures to hold hearings with the Chief Electoral Officer, any witnesses the committee thinks necessary, and the public at large. The committee then reports to the House which recommendations should be adopted and the committee's review of potential amendments.

The 2019 territorial election was held on October 1, 2019. Online ballots were available for the first time in any provincial or territorial general election in Canada. The election also saw the highest number of female candidates ever and resulted in a near equal number of female and male Members of the Legislative Assembly. The Chief Electoral Officer issued her report on the administration of the 2019 election in March 2020, which contained 88 recommendations for consideration. The committee held public briefings with the Chief Electoral Officer on June 10, 2020, with experts on online voting on June 30, 2020 and September 9, 2020, and a hearing with the public on September 21, 2020, during which the committee received presentations from MLA Julie Green, David Wasylciw and OpenNWT. This report included the committee's response to the Chief Electoral Officer's recommendations, to the public submissions received, and to the recommendations of two expert witnesses, Dr. Goodman and Dr. Essex.

I would like to once again thank those that made submissions to the committee and my colleagues who served on the committee with me, as well. Other Members may wish to further speak to the report. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 9-19(2), Report on the Chief Electoral Officer's Report on the Administration of the 2019 Territorial General Election. Do any Members have general comments? Seeing no comments, Member for Frame Lake.

Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration Of Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Now, I'll go through a series of motions which are the recommendations from the report itself.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Elections and Plebiscites Act be amended to require regulations be developed governing voting by electronic means, including setting cyber security standards, technical specifications, procurement guidelines, and an audit mechanism. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Mr. Chair, just very briefly, the committee heard from two expert witnesses. Dr. Essex is from Western University and Dr. Nicole Goodman is at Brock University. They've been watching online voting in Ontario for the most part, and it's been used at the municipal level there for several years. They've also been watching how online voting has been used in other parts of the world, and they actually worked together on a paper, although they don't always agree on everything. It was a very helpful paper, and they've suggested a number of principles that should be adopted in terms of online voting. Those include secrecy, equality, accessibility, fairness, dependability, accuracy, correctness, confidence, and transparency. Committee felt that we should really try to make sure that voters have complete confidence in electronic voting, and that we do need to develop some standards and specifications for how this should be done in the future. The best way to do this is through some regulations, so that's what this recommendation is all about. Thanks, Mr. Chair.