Thank you. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On my left is Billy MacKay, the deputy Minister of Finance. And on my right is Stephen Flanagan. He is the drafter from legal division.

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Bill 53. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act, received second reading in the Assembly on May 31st, 2022, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for a review on October 7th, 2022.

Committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Finance and completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill. Committee received no submissions on this bill.

I thank committee for their efforts in reviewing this legislation. I have no comments at this time, but individual Members may have additional questions or comments. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Committee, are there further questions, comments? Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the Minister referenced in her opening remarks that the department is working towards phase 2 of this act, and I'm wondering if the Minister can provide a commitment as to when we will see the bill brought forward on the floor of this House for phase 2. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm not in a position to give a specific time at this stage. I am live to comments from committee regarding their interest in the larger piece of this, and I have certainly been working in the last little while with the department towards being in a position to give a more specific timeline. It is certainly my expectation that we will still see the completion of the larger act within the life of this government. But, again, I'm just at a stage of being able to confirm that hopefully before the end of this sitting. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions, comments?

Is the committee agreed that there are no further general comments?

Can we proceed to a clause by clause review of the bill?

Okay. 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?

---Clauses 1 through 9 inclusive approved

Committee, to the bill as a whole, does the committee agree that Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act is now ready for third reading?

Thank you, committee. Does the committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act?

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

Committee, we've agreed to consider Tabled Document 723-19(2), Capital Estimates 2023-2024. We will now consider the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Does the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment wish to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Yes, I do.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.

Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses.

To my left I have deputy minister John MacDonald, and to my right is assistant deputy minister of corporate services Sam Shannon.

Welcome. Committee has agreed to forego general comments. Is the committee agreed to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?