This is page numbers 6565 - 6646 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

Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6602

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 81: An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6602

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Committee, we've agreed to consider Bill 94, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023. I will ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm here today to present Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023.

The purpose of Bill 94 is to amend various statutes of the Northwest Territories for which minor changes are proposed or errors or inconsistencies have been identified. Each amendment included in the bill had to meet the following criteria:

  1. it must not be controversial;
  2. It must not involve the spending of public funds;
  3. It must not prejudicially affect rights; and,
  4. It must not create a new offence or subject a new class of persons to an existing offence.

Departments responsible for the various statutes being amended have reviewed and approved the changes brought forward in this bill.

The proposed amendments are minor, uncontroversial or non-substantive and many consist of technical corrections. The amendments are of such a nature that the preparation and legislative consideration of individual bills to correct each statute would be time-consuming for the government and the Legislative Assembly.

This concludes my opening remarks. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Yes, I would.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witness into the Chamber.

Minister, please introduce your witness.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

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R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. I'd like to welcome back Laura Jeffrey, legislative counsel with Justice. Thank you.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you. I will now turn to the chair of Standing Committee on Social Development, the committee that reviewed the bill for any opening comments on Bill 94. Member for Kam Lake.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

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Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 94, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023.

Bill 94 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on June 2nd, 2023, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. On June 29th, 2023, the standing committee held a clause-by-clause reading with the Minister of Justice.

Madam Chair, the committee reports that Bill 94, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
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September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Can we forego general comments on Bill 94 and proceed to the clause by clause?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 1 of the bill.

Clauses 1 through 5, does committee agree?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Clauses 6 through 10, does committee agree?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Clauses 11 through 13, does committee agree?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Committee, to the bill as a whole, does committee agree that Bill 94, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023, is now ready for third reading?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, committee. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 94, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023?

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister, and thank you to your witness. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witness from the Chamber.

Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 93, Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act. I will ask the Minister of Infrastructure to introduce the bill.

Bill 93: Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th, 2023

Page 6603

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you. I'm here to present Bill 93, the Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act. Bill 93 seeks to repeal and replace the existing Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act.

I met with Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment to answer questions about the bill on July 18th and 25th, 2023. In addition to engaging with the NWT engineering firms on the regulation of technologists, the Department of Infrastructure also met with the Government of Nunavut to discuss how the bill might affect engineers in that territory. Legislative partners in Nunavut already made significant progress towards a draft bill aligning that territory's laws to our new act, which they hope to introduce that into territory's Legislative Assembly shortly.

This new version of the act will keep responsibility for overseeing the territory's engineering and geoscience professionals with the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists, otherwise known as NAPEG. The Department of Infrastructure worked closely with NAPEG in developing this bill to make sure the new governance framework will meet NAPEG's needs and capacity while allowing public oversight where necessary. Most importantly, this bill will increase public safety by requiring NAPEG members to undergo continuing professional development throughout their careers and by giving NAPEG responsibility for accreditation of applied science technologists and technicians which are unregulated occupations in the two territories.

This bill will also help encourage engineers to work in the Territories in two ways:

  • By allowing NAPEG to grant restricted engineering licenses to professionals with foreign credentials; and,
  • By making it easier for engineers to resume work after parental leave.

Standing committee has indicated its support for this passage of Bill 93, and I thank the Members for their work in reviewing the bill.

That concludes my opening remarks, and I'm happy to answer questions if the Members have any.

Bill 93: Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Bill 93: Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

September 29th

Page 6603

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes, I do.