This is page numbers 5051 - 5086 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 housing.

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The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, yesterday November 2nd was World Fertility Day. Today I wish to table the following document: A Letter from Fertility Matters. Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Redacted Reports for the Department of Health and Social Services from the Internal Audit Bureau obtained under Access to Information. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: An email exchange with an environmental health officer regarding Lanky Court. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Pursuant to section 5 of the Indemnities Allowances and Expense Regulations of the Legislative Assembly and the Executive Council Act, I wish to table the Summary of Members' Absence for the period May 26th to October 12th, 2022.

Tabling of documents. Notice of motion. Motions. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker,

WHEREAS the consensus government process convention on priority setting and reporting calls for the establishment of a special committee on transition matters;

AND WHEREAS transition to a new Assembly is an appropriate time for reporting on matters of ongoing action, discussion, and consideration;

AND WHEREAS Members of the 20th Assembly may wish to consider how to build on the direction and deliberations of the 19th Legislative Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that pursuant to Rule 9.2(8), the Legislative Assembly hereby establish a Special Committee on the Transition Matters;

AND FURTHER, that the following Members be named to the special committee:

  • Mr. Kevin O'Reilly, Member for Frame Lake;
  • The Honourable R.J. Simpson, Member for Hay River North;
  • Mr. Rocky Simpson, Member for Hay River South;
  • Ms. Lesa Semmler, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes;
  • Ms. Jane Weyallon-Armstrong, Member for Monfwi; and,
  • The Honourable Shane Thompson, Member for Nahendeh.

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Special Committee on Transition Matters be established by the terms of reference identified as Tabled Document 765-19(2). Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried. I should say abstentions. Motion is carried.

---Carried

Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that when this House adjourns on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022, it shall be adjourned until Thursday, February the 7th, 2023;

AND FURTHERMORE, that if at any time prior February the 7th, 2023, that the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, or at a time later than the scheduled resumption of the House, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Amendments to the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act.

WHEREAS this Legislative Assembly appointed an Electoral Boundaries Commission pursuant to section 2(1)(b) of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act, on June 3rd, 2021;

AND WHEREAS the Electoral Boundaries Commission 2021 submitted its final report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on May 24th, 2022;

AND WHEREAS the Speaker tabled the final report of the Electoral Boundaries Commission 2021 on May 27th, 2022;

AND WHEREAS there is a desire to review the names of certain electoral districts in the Northwest Territories;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, second by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that the Legislative Assembly recommends that amendments to the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act be introduced during the life of this Legislative Assembly to:

  1. Allow for the establishment of an Electoral Boundaries Commission within 18 months after the day fixed for the return of the writs for the 2023 election and subsequently for each second succeeding general election; and,
  2. Increase the composition of future Electoral Boundaries Commissions from a chairperson and two other members to a chairperson and four other Members.
The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. I would just like to rise in support of this motion. I -- you know, absent legislation being passed in the remaining time in this Assembly, it looks like we're heading into an election with the same boundaries, which I think we all know have some discrepancies in population. And, you know, I don't think it's right for us to wait another eight years to then adjust those again. So by moving this up an Assembly, adding some more members and some better representation, hopefully the next Assembly can have a report and pass one of the recommendations in there.

I also -- you know, originally when this electoral boundaries came out, there was some questions prescribed to it, such as election of the Premier, makeup of Cabinet, how we select Cabinet, and I think a number of kind of questions of consensus government that it was this Assembly's hope to tackle, and certainly if you add or remove Members, those questions, they come into play because it changes the balance on either side of the House. So it's my hope that by striking a more representative Electoral Boundaries Commission earlier, they can look at the boundaries, they can look at the issues and name changes that are coming up presently in the House, and they can look at, you know, some of these other issues of consensus government that I think was our hope to get to but are long overdue and have perhaps caused some frustration amongst Members. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Member for Sahtu.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

WHEREAS the Order of the Northwest Territories was established in 2013 by the Territorial Honours Act recognizes individuals who have served with the greatest distinction and excellence in the field and endeavours benefiting the people of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS Section 2(1) of the Territorial Emblems and Honours Act provides for the creation of a Northwest Territories Honours Advisory Council to review nominations and recommendation of appointments to the Order of the Northwest Territories;

AND WHEREAS Section 21(2)(b) of the Territorial Emblems and Honours Act provides that the council be composed of not more than five members of the public appointed by the Legislative Assembly on the recommendations of the Board of Management;

AND WHEREAS Section 22(2) of the Territorial Emblems and Honours Act provides that the Members of the panel hold office at pleasure for a term not exceeding three years;

AND WHEREAS the appointment of the Members of Honours Advisory expires on June 1st, 2021;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management is tasking with recommended individuals to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly to prepare to make a recommendation to the Commissioner;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, second by the honourable Member of Hay River North, that the following persons be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for reappointment to the NWT Honours Advisory Council:

  • Ms. Sabrina Broadhead of Hay River;
  • Mr. Danny Gaudet of Deline; and,
  • Ms. Anne Peters of Yellowknife.

AND FURTHER, that the effective date of these appointments shall be communicated to the Commissioner by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.