Debates of March 30th, 2023
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This is from 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
- Oral Questions
- Members Present
- Prayer
- Minister's Statement 347-19(2): Draft Homelessness Strategy
- Minister's Statement 348-19(2): Combined Mental Wellness and Addictions Fund
- Minister's Statement 349-19(2): Review of Land lease-Only Policy
- Minister's Statement 347-19(2): Sustainable Canadian Agriculture Partnership
- Member's Statement 1500-19(2): Carbon Tax
- Member's Statement 1501-19(2): Lands
- Member's Statement 1502-19(2): Spring has Sprung
- Member's Statement 1503-19(2): Substance Abuse Rates in the Northwest Territories
- Member's Statement 1504-19(2): Announcement of Seeking Re-Election and Farewell Message to Clerk Mercer
- Member's Statement 1505-19(2): Bison Jamboree in Fort Providence
- Member's Statement 1506-19(2): Truth and Reconciliation Call to Action #94
- Member's Statement 1507-19(2): Inuvik Muskrat jamboree and Farewell Message to Clerk Mercer
- Member's Statement 1508-19(2): Youth Voices of the Northwest Territories
- Member's Statement 1509-19(2): Order of the Northwest Territories Recipient Joanne Deneron
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery
- Question 1494-19(2): Indigenous Harvesting Rights
- Question 1495-19(2): Carbon Tax
- Question 1496-19(2): Doctrine of Discovery
- Question 1497-19(2): Taltson Hydro Expansion
- Question 1498-19(2): Business Incentive Policy Process
- Question 1499-19(2): Carbon Tax Increase
- Question 1500-19(2): Dempster Highway Repair
- Question 1501-19(2): Request a New School for Behchoko
- Question 1502-19(2): Northwest Territories Infrastructure Support
- Question 1503-19(2): Hay River Harbour Remediation
- Question 1504-19(2): Request for New School for Dettah
- Question 1505-19(2): Hay River Area Flood Mitigation Measures
- Recognition Of Visitors In The Gallery(reversion)
- Reply 3-19(2):
- Tabled Document 917-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2 Tabled Document 918-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 82: Legal Profession Act Tabled Document 919-19(2): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 1402-19(2): Cooperation Between Income Support and Child and Family Services
- Tabled Document 920-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 83: Liquor Act Tabled Document 921-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 84: An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act Tabled Document 922-19(2): 2022 Socio-Economic Agreement: Social Data Report Tabled Document 923-19(2): Let's Talk Agriculture: Have Your Say Online Survey Result
- Tabled Document 924-19(2): Plain Language Summary for Bill 85: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act Tabled Document 925-19(2): A Way Home: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address Homelessness in the Northwest Territories
- Tabled Document 926-19(2): Member's Attendance Report
- Motion 78-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to May 23, 2023, Carried
- Motion 79-19(2): Expression of Gratitude to Clerk, Tim Mercer, for Dedicated and Exemplary Service, Carried
- Recorded Vote
- Bill 80: Dental Hygienists Profession Statute Amendment Act, Carried
- Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2, Carried
- Bill 82: Legal Profession Act, Carried
- Bill 83: Liquor Act, Carried
- Bill 84: An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation Act, Carried
- Bill 85: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act, Carried
- Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
- Report Of Committee Of The Whole
- Bill 68: An Act to Amend the Child Day Care Act, Carried As Amended
- Recorded Vote
- Assent To Bills
- Orders Of The Day
Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills
Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills
Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer
The Member for Great Slave.
Recorded Vote
Third Reading Of Bills

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
The results of the recorded vote: 14 in favour, zero opposed, one abstention. The motion is carried. Bill 68 has had third reading.
---Carried
Third Reading of Bills.
Mr. Clerk, will you ascertain if the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the Honourable Margaret M. Thom, is prepared to enter the Chamber to assent to bills.
---SHORT RECESS
Assent To Bills
Assent To Bills
March 30th, 2023
The Commissioner Of The Northwest Territories Margaret M. Thom
Mahsi. Good afternoon Mr. Speaker, Premier Cochrane, Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, staff and visitors in the public gallery.
It is always a good feeling and honour to be here and see all of you. Thank you for your ongoing commitment and hard work on behalf of the people of the Northwest Territories. It is with great honour and respect that I acknowledge the territory of the Dene, Metis and Inuit of this great land. We are extremely grateful to live, work, celebrate, and be welcomed as visitors in your territory.
After the long and cold winter, it is nearly time to say, Spring is in the air. So enjoy the well-deserved, much-needed Easter break to enjoy the beautiful spring weather, longer daylight hours, the single digit temperatures in some places, and the sunshine. This break will allow you to breathe in the good fresh air to ground you. I wish you all safe, enjoyable travels to your homes, your loved ones, your constituencies. Happy and Blessed Easter season with your loved ones.
Now as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I am pleased to assent to the following bills:
- Bill 56, An Act to Amend the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act
- Bill 57, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2022
- Bill 60, An Act to Amend the Petroleum Products and Carbon Tax Act
- Bill 61, An Act to Amend the Ombud Act
- Bill 62, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, No. 2
- Bill 63, An Act to Amend Official Languages Act
- Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act
- Bill 67, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act
- Bill 68, An Act to Amend the Child Day Care Act
- Bill 73, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 4
- Bill 76, An Act to Amend the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act
- Bill 86, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2022-2023
- Bill 87, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2023- 2023
- Bill 88, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2023-2024
- Bill 89, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2023-2024
Mahsi cho. Thank you. Quyananni. Merci beaucoup. Koana.
---SHORT RECESS
Assent To Bills
Assent To Bills

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Colleagues, please be seated. Colleagues, on behalf of the House, I thank the Commissioner, the Honourable Margaret M. Thom for being here today. It is an honour to have her join us in the Chamber. It has been a long sitting and I know we are eager to adjourn. But before we do, I would like to say a few words and I thank you for your time and attention.
First and foremost, I want to thank each of you. I know this sitting has been difficult at times but it has also been very productive. You have concluded consideration of the operations budget, three supplementary estimates, seven pieces of legislation, some of which I know were challenging, and 14 committee reports. This is in addition to numerous statements, questions and motions.
Colleagues, that's a lot of important work and you should be proud of yourselves. Mahsi.
Throughout this sitting, I have enjoyed your lively and thoughtful debates and discussions. We don't always see eye-to-eye and we don't always agree. Some discussions in this House are very intense or uncomfortable. That's the nature of our job as the representatives of our people. Even when we don't agree, we can always find ways to work together and be respectful of each other and this institution. Colleagues, that is consensus government in action.
Consensus government does not mean that we must always agree. Consensus government does not mean that we will always get our way. Consensus government means that we will have the opportunity to share our views, influence policy and legislation, and represent the people who have elected us. I thank each of you for contributing to a successful sitting.
Colleagues, I also want to thank the interpreters who have joined us throughout this sitting. We honour our languages when we use them. The interpreters make it possible for us to use our languages on a daily basis, and I thank them for their service and commitment to honouring our official languages, our people, and our cultures. I know it has been challenging at times, the speed of some of our speeches, but I thank you and I really respect the work that you do.
Colleagues, finally, I want to take a moment to thank our clerk, Mr. Tim Mercer, and congratulate him on his retirement. Mr. Mercer has served as clerk of this institution for twenty years. That's 870 sitting days. He has served six Assembly's, that's 63 Members and six Speakers, I am very proud to be one of those Members and also one of those speakers.
Tim, I want to thank you for your valuable advice you have given to me and to all Members for many years. It was always appreciated. And sometimes we even followed it.
Tim, as Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, your corporate and procedural knowledge is second to none. I know we are in good hands with Mr. Rutland taking the helm. You will be deeply missed. Tim, I know you love sailing and I hope you have the opportunities to spend many beautiful summer days on Great Slave Lake aboard the Picante. Mr. Clerk, hold fast and stay true.
Colleagues, please join me in thanking Mr. Mercer for his dedication and service.
Thank you, colleagues.
---Applause
Mr. Clerk, one last time, orders of the day.
Orders Of The Day
Orders Of The Day
Clerk Of The House Mr. Tim Mercer
Orders of the day for Thursday, May 25th, 2023, 1:30 p.m.
- Prayer
- Ministers' Statements
- Members' Statements
- Returns to Oral Questions
- Oral Question 1343-19(2), Impacts of COVID-19 on Education
- Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
- Acknowledgements
- Oral Questions
- Written Questions
- Returns to Written Questions
- Replies to Commissioner's Address
- Petitions
- Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
- Reports of Standing and Special Committees
- Tabling of Documents
- Notices of Motion
- Motions
- Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
- First Reading of Bills
- Second Reading of Bills
- Bill 64, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3
- Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
- Bill 23, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act
- Bill 29, Resource Royalty Information Disclosure Statute Amendment Act
- Minster's Statement 264-19(2), Response to the NWT Chief Coroner's Report on Suicide
- Tabled Document 681-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 26-19(2): Report on the Child and Family Services Act - Lifting Children, Youth and Families: An All of Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together
- Report of Committee of the Whole
- Third Reading of Bills
- Orders of the Day
Orders Of The Day
Orders Of The Day

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Thursday, May 25th, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 8:40 p.m.
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