This is page numbers 5875 - 5942 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 indigenous.

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Hay River North, that Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Act, be read for a second time.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 76 amends the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act to

  • Establish a Commission within two years of the 2023 general election;
  • Expand the size of the Commission;
  • Broaden the eligibility to serve as chairperson of the Commission;
  • Add geographic and place names to the relevant considerations of the Commission; and,
  • Modernize language, including by using gender-neutral language.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. 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. Bill 76 has had second reading. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and have Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Act, referred directly to Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and have Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Act, referred directly to Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Member for Thebacha, it's referred to Committee of the Whole later today.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 23, 29, 60, 61, 63, 66, 67, 68, 73, and Bill 76, Committee Report 40-19(2), Committee Report 42-19(2), Committee Report 43-19(2), Committee Report 44-19(2), Committee Report 47-19(2), Minister's Statement 264-19(2), Tabled Document 681-19(2), Tabled Document 694-19(2), Tabled Document 813, 881, 882, and 883-19(2).

By the authority given to me as Speaker under Rule 2.2(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider the business before the House, with Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes in the chair.

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

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Madam la Presidente. Committee wishes to consider Committee Report 40-19(2), Committee Report 43-19(2), Bill 61, Bill 63, Tabled Document 881-19(2), Tabled Document 882-19(2), Tabled Document 883-19(2), and Committee Report 44-19(2). Mahsi, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Does committee agree?

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

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

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

---SHORT RECESS

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we've agreed to consider Committee Report 40-19(2), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 61: An Act to Amend the Ombud Act. I will go to the deputy chair of the Standing Committee on the Government Operations for any opening comments. Member for Thebacha

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Bill 61, An Act to Amend the Ombud Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on November 2nd, 2022, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review.

Bill 61 is a private Member's bill sponsored by the Member for Yellowknife North. As such I, as deputy chair, assumed the role of chairing meetings about the review of this bill.

The committee sought feedback on Bill 61 and received eight written submissions. The committee held a public review of the bill on December the 9th, 2022. The input helped committee to understand the benefits of the proposed changes and put forward amendments to making the bill even stronger.

The committee amended two clauses: One to clarify the Ombud's mandate and one to maintain the exclusions on all six statutory officers covered in the existing Act and to exclude the Human Rights Commission and the adjudication panel from the Ombud's jurisdiction. As a result of the review of Bill 61, committee presented a report with two recommendations to the Legislative Assembly on February 14th, 2023.

I would like to thank the committee for its work on the review of Bill 61. Individual Members may have additional comments.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 40-19(2). Do Members have any general comments? Seeing none. Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories, in consultation with the Board of Management, lead a wholistic review to examine and clarify the jurisdiction of each statutory officer of the Assembly to investigate

  1. Other statutory officers of the Assembly;
  2. Public bodies that exercise statutory authority on behalf of the executive; and
  3. Public bodies that provide statutory advisory services to the executive.

And further, the review should identify areas of over- and underlapping jurisdiction and make recommendations to address discrepancies based on best practices. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Yeah, thanks, Madam Chair. I think someone should speak to this.

So I think what happened was the bill had recommended that the Ombud have the ability to review statutory officers' operations in terms of fairness and so on and some of the statutory officers felt that that was not appropriate. So -- and it wasn't clear where some jurisdiction began, some jurisdiction ended. So I think in lieu of trying to get a better understanding of all of that, that's why this recommendation was put forward to kind of do a review of the jurisdiction of each of the statutory officers that the Board of Management should look at that, and I support this motion and I think it's a better way to approach this issue a little bit more systemically. Thanks, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. To the motion.

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

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

---Carried

Member for Thebacha.

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

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

Some Hon. Members

Question.

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

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

---Carried

Thank you, committee. Do you agree that we've concluded consideration of Committee Report 40-19(2)?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.