Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Bill 68, An Act to Amend the Child Day Care Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on November 3rd, 2022, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review.

In its review, committee was disappointed to find that the scope of Bill 68 was narrow. That narrow scope made it challenging to propose any full-scale amendments.

It was important to the committee to hear from the public on this bill because the committee is alive to the fact that day care legislation affects families in a real way across the Northwest Territories.

The committee received nine written submissions and six verbal presentations on Bill 68. The recommendations that the committee formulated were in response to a clear lack of trust and confidence in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

The committee heard from child care operators. The committee's recommendations also address complaints, appeals, retaliation, and privacy considerations that were brought up by child care operators.

Finally, the committee made recommendations that urge the department to innovate ways to improve the act and the current reality of day care in the Northwest Territories.

I'd like to thank committee for its work on the review of Bill 68, and I would also like to thank the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for its willingness to work with us on amendments to improve this bill. Madam Chair, I'd also like to thank the members of the public that came to committee on a regular basis over the course of this Assembly to talk about child care on numerous occasions. It was very much needed input and an input that we continue to encourage from the public. Individual Members, Madam Chair, may have additional comments at this time. Thank you.