Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 2, Missing Persons Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister for Justice. Pursuant to Rule 8.2(3), Bill 2 is deemed to have first reading and is ready for second reading.

Second reading of bills. Member from Yellowknife North. Sorry, my mistake. Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member from Kam Lake, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for a second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to adjust the maximum amounts allowed for Members' expenses as adjusted by using the average change in the consumer price index over the last past five years. This aligns the Act with changes already made in the previous Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and to have Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council, moved to Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. Can you read the second time and then ask after that, then ask for unanimous consent to go into Committee of the Whole.

Déjà vu. Or as a former Speaker used to say, déjà vu all over again. Mr. Whitford. So starting from the top, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues, for your indulgence.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, be read for a second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act to adjust the maximum amounts allowed for Members' expenses as adjusted by using the average change in the consumer price index over the past five years. This aligns the Act with changes already made in the previous Assembly.

In order. To the principle of bill. The principle of the bill.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion passed.

---Carried

Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and to have Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council, moved to the Committee of the Whole for consideration later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member. The Member is asking unanimous consent to move Bill 1 into the Committee of the Whole. Any nays? Seeing no nays.

Member from Yellowknife Centre -- sorry.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters. Minister's Statement 4-20(1), Minister's Statement 5-20(1), Minister's Statement 17-20(1), Tabled Document 28-20(1), Tabled Document 29-20(1), Bill No. 1, with the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh in the chair.

Thank you. I'd like to call committee to order. I now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? Member from Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Does the committee agree?

Okay, thank you. We'll resume after a short 30-minute recess. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act. I'll be asking -- I'll ask the sponsor of the bill, the Member of Yellowknife Centre, to introduce the bill.

Thank you, Member of Yellowknife Centre. Member, would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?

Okay, sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the chambers. Members, please introduce yourself and your witnesses. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, to my left is the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Rutland; and, to my right is deputy clerk, Ms. Wickens.

I will now open the floor for general comments on Bill 1. Members may speak up to ten minutes at a time. Anyone -- any Members want to speak up? We got a Member that's going to speak up so make sure I get this right. Member from Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a question for Mr. Hawkins and the staff. Why the change to the -- why the change to the bill was made, if you can explain that?

Thank you. I will move to the Member of Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the question. I believe if I have it correctly, the change is to bring consistency over a five-year period that reflect the consumer price index. If it went year by year, it would be influenced by major spikes, be it up and down, therefore this brought longer-term consistency. I look to the -- I look to the clerk for maybe some further explanation beyond that.

Thank you. Meanwhile we'll go to Mr. Rutland.