This is page numbers 6089 - 6140 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 know.

Topics

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Government House Leader. 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? All those abstaining? The motion is carried. Bill 80 has had second reading.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 81, An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2, be read for the second time.

The bill amends the Education Act to update the preamble to

  • Recognize the vital role that Indigenous peoples and Indigenous governments play in achieving quality and excellence in education;
  • Clarify a number of defined terms;
  • Update the procedural requirements to be followed when modifying a school program for a student;
  • Allow the Minister to access student records for the purposes of evaluating a school program or monitoring student progression through the education system;
  • Permit school staff to disclose information in a student record to an education body or the department;
  • Provide the Minister with the authority to permit the sharing of information relating to teacher certificate suspensions and cancellations with other jurisdictions;
  • Clarify quorum rules for district education authorities;
  • Obligate education bodies to provide student transportation;
  • Update and clarify the duties and powers that may be allocated to education bodies;
  • Provide education bodies that have been allocated with the same duty or power with a mediation option to determine which education body will perform the duty or exercise the power;
  • Consolidate and clarify the areas in which the Minister may issue directions under the Act;
  • Provide the Minister with the authority to establish oversight committees;
  • Allow for mail-in voting for district education authority elections; and,
  • Correct inconsistencies and errors in the act.

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. Bill 81 has had second reading.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for Justice.

Bill 82: Legal Profession Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

March 30th, 2023

Page 6106

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 82, Legal Profession Act, be read for the second time.

This bill repeals and replaces the Legal Profession Act. The current Act is largely based on the 1976 Ordinance. It has been amended over time but there are parts of it that are antiquated and that have been overtaken by more modern legislation. In addition, the current Act does not reflect contemporary developments in the self-regulation of the legal profession across Canada.

The Law Society established a review committee to examine these developments and it came up with a series of recommendations in 2019. This bill integrates these recommendations into a new Act.

Minor errors and inconsistencies are also addressed along with the use of diversity-inclusive language. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 82: Legal Profession Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Bill 82: Legal Profession Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 82: Legal Profession Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

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 82 has had second reading.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for Finance.

Bill 83: Liquor Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 83, Liquor Act, be read for the second time.

This bill repeals and replaces the Liquor Act, SNWT 2007, c.15 to make significant changes and updates, including to

  • Provide for the appointment of a registrar with responsibility for liquor licensing matters including the issuance, renewal, transfer, suspension and cancellation of licenses;
  • Allow for the creation of new classes of liquor licenses in regulations;
  • Allow for the creation of classes of retail vendors in regulations;
  • Allow for the imposition of monetary penalties by a newly appointed chief inspector;
  • Repeal the existing liquor licensing board with a liquor appeals board to hear appeals of decisions of the registrar and the chief inspector;
  • Define a single community authority for the purposes of community control matters;
  • Create new mechanisms for community control over liquor and provide certain protections for operating businesses;
  • Make changes to the length of temporary prohibition orders, their associated timelines and requirements;
  • Necessary updates to inspection, investigation and search and seizure provisions;
  • Remove mandatory minimum penalties; and,
  • Modernize language, including by using gender-neutral pronouns.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 83: Liquor Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Bill 83: Liquor Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Bill 83: Liquor Act, Carried
Second Reading Of Bills

Page 6106

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 83 has had second reading.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for the Sahtu, that Bill 84, An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation to

  • Change the name of the act to the Prosper NWT Act;
  • Continue the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation as Prosper NWT;
  • Clarify when a corporation will be considered a subsidiary of Prosper NWT for the purposes of the act;
  • Provide the Board with the authority to modify Prosper NWT's non-financial support programs with the approval of the Minister;
  • Provide Prosper NWT with the authority to provide non-financial support to business enterprises and members of the public outside of established programs;
  • Provide Prosper NWT with the authority to provide financial support to business enterprises and subsidiaries;
  • Provide the board with the authority to require parties to confirm their compliance with agreements they have entered into with Prosper NWT;
  • Clarify conflict of interest provisions by adding the concept of a controlling interest;
  • Clarify that persons are related under the Act if they are related for the purposes of the Income Tax Act (Canada);
  • Permit Prosper NWT, subject to certain limitations, to use a portion of its cash on hand for the purpose of carrying on its business;
  • Remove the requirement that the programs established under the act be periodically reviewed by the Minister;
  • Modernize language, including using gender-neutral pronouns; and,
  • Correct inconsistencies and errors identified in the act.

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. Bill 84 has had second reading.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Madam Premier.

Caroline Cochrane

Caroline Cochrane Range Lake

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 85, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act, be read for the second time.

This bill

  • Affirms the declaration as a universal human rights instrument with application to the Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Territories and the laws of the Northwest Territories;
  • Provides a framework for the implementation of the declaration by the Government of the Northwest Territories in collaboration and cooperation with Indigenous governments or organizations; and,
  • Affirms the roles and responsibilities of Indigenous governments or organizations in the implementation of the declaration.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Madam Premier. 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 85 has had second reading.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 23 and 29, Committee Report 49-19(2), Committee Report 51-19(2), Minister's Statement 264-19(2), Tabled Document 681-19(2).

By the authority given to me as Speaker under rule -- order. A lot of sidebar in here.

By the authority given to me as Speaker under Rule 2.2(4), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hour 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

Page 6107

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

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

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

Page 6107

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, committee wishes to consider Committee Report 49-19(2), Report on the 2021-2022 Review of the Official Languages Act; and, Committee Report 51-19(2), Report on Indigenous Representation in the Northwest Territories Public Service. Thank you, Madam Chair.