Thank you. I'm going to continue on now. I'm going to go to replies to the Commissioner's address. Seeing none. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees on the review of bills. I'm going to go to the Member from Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act.

Bill 8 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on June 12th, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. Through the committee's review, the committee received 11 written submissions from Northwest Territories' students. We also held a public hearing in Yellowknife where we heard from the bill's sponsor, one member of the public and the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. All in all, the committee heard overwhelming support from the public for this bill.

The committee held a clause-by-clause review on October 8, 2024 and, Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Bill 8 stands referred to Committee of the Whole.

Reports of standing and special committees on the review of bills. I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Oh sorry, I wasn't sure if I should wait for the clock. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2024.

Bill 7 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on June 12th, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. The standing committee held a clause-by-clause review of the bill on October 2nd, 2024, with the Minister of Justice. The committee moved to amend four clauses in Bill 7 at the clause-by-clause review. The Minister of Justice concurred with all four motions.

Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 7, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2024, is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I'm going to go to reports of standing and special committees on the review of bills. Thank you.

Bill 7 stands referred to -- sorry, Bill 8 stands to referred to Committee of the Whole, and Bill 7 has been referred to the Committee of the Whole.

Reports of the standing and special committee. And the Member for Monfwi.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Committee Report 9-20(1): Standing Committee on Social Development report on Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be received by the Assembly and referred to the Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. We'll take just a short break.

--- SHORT RECESS.

Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its report on Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, and commends it to the House.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, is a Private Member's Bill that proposes one change to the current Act - to amend paragraph 10(3)(8) of the Student Financial Assistance Act by striking out "$60,000" and substituting it with "$90,000". The change is proposed to allow for students to be able to borrow up to $90,000 in loans from the Government of the Northwest Territories student financial assistance program, instead of $60,000.

The bill sponsor, Robert Hawkins, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, brought Bill 8 forward to the House in the June 2024 sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly. Bill 8 received second reading on June 12th, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. This report summarizes committee's review of Bill 8, including three recommendations:

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT

Between June 2024 to August 2024, committee engaged the public. Committee hosted one public meeting in Yellowknife - Somba K'e - on August 20, 2024. At this public meeting, committee heard from the bill sponsor, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and her staff, and one member of the public. Committee also sought written submissions on Bill 8. Committee received written submissions from 11 members of the public. The Minister's presentation and written submissions are included in Appendix A.

Committee appreciates those that offered feedback at public meetings and in written submissions. All written submissions received were written submitted by students, and they all welcomed Bill 8 as a positive and needed step to continue their access to education, help them in returning to the Northwest Territories post-graduation, and fill needed positions in the NWT such as veterinarians, doctors, dentists, and lawyers.

At the public briefing, some of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's main concerns were legislative changes to the revolving loan fund if higher individual loan limits were to be introduced and concerns about students taking on too much debt. The department provided committee with an analysis on the 2023 SFA program changes and noted that by updating average tuition costs and living costs to 2023, it was determined that the average single student would be able to access remissible and repayable loans to complete a 4-year program and a 2-year graduate program with a loan limit of $83,850. They also noted that students with more than two dependents would need an increased loan limit of $89,200 to complete a 4-year program. The department highlights the need to make administrative updates should Bill 8 receive assent.

Committee would like to see more NWT students advancing themselves and therefore is in support of Bill 8. Further, committee would like to see more supports going to Indigenous communities, particularly to improve the education outcome for Indigenous students in the NWT. Committee is pleased that there were many changes to the SFA program in 2023 that benefitted Indigenous students, including the removal of semester limits for the supplementary grant and remissible loans and unlimited access to basic grants.

Although, committee would like to know that there is a guarantee that reversals to these changes will not occur, keeping in the spirit of steps towards reconciliation. Committee therefore presents the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1:

The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories increase education funding to Indigenous communities and Indigenous students in the NWT to improve the education outcome of Indigenous students.

Thank you. The Member from Monfwi has moved that the report be received and referred to Committee of the Whole. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? One abstaining. Two, three, four -- the whole Cabinet. Thank you. The motion is carried. Committee Report 9 has been received and will be moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration.

--- Carried

Next, I have is tabling of documents. I'm going to go to the Minister of ECC.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following seven documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 29-20(1): Municipal Block Land Transfer; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 205-20(1): Climate Change; Additional Follow-up letter for Oral Question 205-20(1): Climate Change; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 216-20(1): Guardians of the Land Program; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 278-20(1): Disaster Assistance Programs for Traditional Cabin Owners; Conference of Management Authorities Species at Risk Annual Report 2023-2024, and Northwest Territories Species at Risk committee Annual Report 2023-2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the acting government House leader. Tabling of documents.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Premier and the Minister of Justice, I wish to table the following 14 documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-20(1): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-20(1): Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 5-20(1): Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 6-20(1): Review of the 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Ombud; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 17-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Tabled Document 27-20(1): Petition: Demand a Public Inquiry into the Hay River Enterprise Kakisa Wildfire; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 31-20(1): Cross-Border Crime Reduction Forum; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 32-20(1): Increasing RCMP Response in Hay River; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 34-20(1): Supporting RCMP Response to Mental Health; Department of Justice Corrections Service Annual Report 2023-2024; Annual Report on the Activities of the Rental Officer April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 202-20(1): After-Action Review of the 2023 Wildfires; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 233-20(1): Food Security; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 254-20(1): High Cost of Food in Northwest Territories; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 256-20(1): Nutrition North Program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Tabling of documents. I'm going to go to the acting government House leader again.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Health and Social Services, I wish to table the following seven documents: Additional Information for Return to Written Question 6-20(1): Agency Nurses; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 215-20(1): Use of Agency Nurses; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 244-20(1): Transitional Housing Pilot Project; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 249-20(1): Clients' Medical Records Required for Medical Travel; Follow-up for Oral Question 280-20(1): Apply for a Name Change; Follow-up for Oral Question 284-20(1): Mental Health Training; Follow-up for Oral Question 297-20(1): Wellness and Addictions Recommendations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Tabling of documents. To the Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following nine documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 7-20(1): Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 public accounts; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 37-20(1): Mackenzie Valley Highway Business Case Renewal; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 28-20(1): Consideration for Elders and Seniors in Debt Elimination; Response to Petition 2-20(1): Improved Fertility and Family Planning Supports in the Northwest Territories; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 175-20(1): Marine Transportation Services 2024 Season Cancellations; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 213-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories' Asset Security Package; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 243-20(1): Forgiveness of Debt for elders and Seniors; Follow-up letter for Oral Question 266-20(1): Burial Sites in Taltson River Area; and Follow-up for Oral Question 289-20(1): Extending Government of Northwest Territories Employee Training to Non-Governmental Organizations Staff. Thank you.

Thank you. Tabling of documents. I'm going to go to the Minister of MACA.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to table the following three documents: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 33-20(1): Municipal Funding Gap; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 33-20(1): Municipal Funding Gap; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 35-20(1): Emergency Plan Support for Municipalities and Community Governments, and Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 38-20(1): Consideration for the Hamlet of Enterprise to Receive Top-Up Federal Funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Tabling of documents. I'm going to go to the Minister of ECE.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 4-20(1): Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.