Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

4. Historical Missing Persons Cases.

Clause 14 of Bill 2 requires the RCMP to prepare an annual report to be provided to the Minister of Justice on the total number of emergency demands, a description of the types of records specified, and any other prescribed information. In public meetings, there were questions about where unsolved cold and historical statistics on missing persons cases in the NWT are to be recorded and published, and whether and where that information is currently located or published. Participants requested that the year and reason for why people are missing in the NWT also be published. Further, committee heard feedback questioning the procedures involved with identifying human remains.

One recurring theme committee heard from members of the public was concern about how long-standing missing persons cases will be prioritized and solved.

Committee therefore recommends:

Recommendation 4: The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends that in the formulation of regulations for the Missing Persons Act, the Government of the Northwest Territories require the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to include a schedule in the annual report referenced in the Missing Persons Act that outlines statistical missing persons information in the Northwest Territories, and that the regulations state where the annual report will be published.

5. Renaming Legislation.

There were public requests to change the name of Bill 2 to recognize an individual from a high-profile missing person's case in the NWT, Frank Gruben Jr., since the media coverage of his case resulted in the expedition of missing persons legislation in the NWT. The request was to change the bill's name to "Frank's Act".

Committee notes that in the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, Rule 8.4(1) states "... the preamble and title are considered last and cannot be amended." In addition to this rule and by convention, the Legislative Assembly follows the House of Commons procedure and practice where the title of a bill must accurately reflect the content within the bill.

Therefore, committee makes the following recommendation:

Recommendation 5: The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends the House refers the matter of titling bills to the Standing Committee on Procedures and Privileges to review and consider the current conventions in the titling of bills and if those conventions should be expanded.

6. Jurisdictional Consistency

There were comments made by the public on better coordinating missing persons searches and investigations between bordering jurisdictions, especially for missing persons in communities that border Alberta, the Yukon, British Columbia, and Nunavut. There was emphasis on ensuring that the bill is consistent with legislation in bordering jurisdictions.

Committee notes these concerns and sought clarity on what jurisdictional review was completed when developing this legislation. The GNWT confirmed that the legislation allows for interprovincial cooperation in missing persons cases and that the department conducted a jurisdictional review of Missing Persons legislation across Canada when drafting the legislation.

The Government of the Northwest Territories drafted the legislation informed by their public engagement, aspects of legislation in other jurisdictions, and how they might best align, as well as northern contexts.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pass it off to the Member for Dehcho.