Colleagues, before we go to you, I'd like to recognize a special young lady in the audience, Colleen Wilbert. Thank you very much for coming here and keeping track of your husband. You know, he's well behaved today because you're here. So thank you. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a constituent of mine, who also happens to be my lovely wife, the love of my life, Colleen. She's here today, and whilst I have been here working on behalf of all of our neighbours she's been holding down the fort at home, and I couldn't do it without her. Thank you so much for being here.

Visitors in the gallery. Member from Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize two young people from P.W. Kaeser High School who are here as pages today - Anthony Roberts and Shane Subertuk. Thank you for being here, and we appreciate your service.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize -- I can't see him but Tony Brushett, the executive director of the Salvation Army, who is a Yellowknife North resident as well as the Salvation Army itself being within my riding. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize a constituent. She's well known to all of us. It's Ms. Sarah Cleary. She's not only one of our wonderful and dependable translators who's served the House for so many years, she's also known as the sewer extraordinaire. So anyway, thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the opportunity to wish her well. Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Recognition of visitors in the gallery.

If we missed anybody, we'd like to thank you very much for being here in your House and allowing us to do our job for the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Reports on committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Public Accounts is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Nunakput, that Committee Report 7-20(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts, be deemed read and presented in Hansard in its entirety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is passed.

---Carried

*insert report link

Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member from Nunakput, that Committee Report 7-20(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The motion's in order. To the motion.

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

---Carried

Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that pursuant to Rule 9.1(5)(a), the Government of the Northwest Territories table a comprehensive response to this report, including all recommendations, within 120 days, or at the earliest opportunity subsequent to the passage of 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The motion's in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is passed.

---Carried

Reports of standing and special committees. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment is pleased to provide its Report on Committee's Initiatives of a Project to Conduct a Review of the Land and Water Use Permitting Regulatory Framework and commends it to the House.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment committee (the "committee") would like to inform the 20th Legislative Assembly that committee is in the early stages of conducting a review of the regulatory framework for land and water use permitting under the Mackenzie Valley Resources Management Act, and its operational effectiveness. The MVRMA provides the overarching framework for a robust regulatory regime and committee would like to evaluate the underlying process and requirements, and their interpretation by all parties, to ensure the spirit and the intent of the MVRMA is being met, and to assess the GNWT's role in the system.

Committee's review intends to build on the work already done by subject matter experts across the land and water boards, Indigenous governments, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Government of Canada, and other stakeholders who interact with the land and water use permitting process.

Committee has particular interest in examining how the GNWT can provide further supports, make changes where needed and appropriate, and consider ways to enhance the capacity of parties to meaningfully participate in the land and water use permitting process. It is committee's intent to prepare a report on the findings which will describe committee's observations and recommend targeted actions and interventions the GNWT should consider for improving the administration, efficiency, and effectiveness of the regulatory framework.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Frame Lake, that the Committee Report 8-20(1), Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on the Committee's Initiative of a Project to Conduct a Review of the Land and Water Use Permitting Regulatory Framework, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.