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This is from the 20th Assembly, 1st 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.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, committee. Do you agree that you have concluded consideration of Committee Report 2-20(1), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act?
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of Committee Report 2-20(1), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act.
Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 2, Missing Persons Act. I will ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to present Bill 2, Missing Persons Act.
Bill 2 proposes new legislation that will provide additional tools to assist police in investigating reports of missing persons.
The Government of the Northwest Territories committed to developing this legislation in response to Call for Justice 5.8 from the National Inquiry of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
In missing persons cases where there is no evidence of criminal activity, investigations can be slowed or completely halted. Missing persons laws in other jurisdictions across Canada allow police to seek court orders to access records and to enter premises to search for missing persons as well as to make emergency demands for information.
Bill 2 operates similarly and would allow police to move more quickly in their investigations while at the same time providing for oversight and accountability to protect individual privacy when police are utilizing the powers provided for in this legislation.
During the public clause-by-clause review of Bill 2, the Standing Committee on Social Development brought forward three motions to amend the bill informed by their engagement with the RCMP and other stakeholders. These changes were focused on providing greater clarity that the RCMP not be inhibited when utilizing the legislation. The department concurred with these changes, and I would like to thank committee for their review. This concludes my opening remarks. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber.
Minister, please introduce your witnesses.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
R.J. Simpson Hay River North
With me today, I have Brad Patzer, assistant deputy minister with the Department of Justice. Thank you.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Thank you. I'll now turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development and the committee that reviewed the bill for any opening comments on Bill 2. Member from Monfwi.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Jane Weyallon Armstrong Monfwi
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Bill 2, Missing Persons Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on February 26, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review.
Throughout the committee's review, the committee met with the Minister of Justice, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and over 55 members of the public in three public hearings held in Aklavik, Inuvik, and Yellowknife. The committee also received five written submissions on the bill.
On May 28, 2024, the standing committee held its clause-by-clause review of the bill with the Minister of Justice. The committee amended three clauses in the bill with the Minister's concurrence.
I thank the committee for their efforts in reviewing this legislation. I would also like to graciously thank the courageous family members of missing people who also spoke to the committee to inform the committee's review of this bill. Individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. I will now open the floor to general comments on Bill 2.
Does committee agree that there are no further comments?
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 1 of the bill. I will call the clauses in groups.
Clause 1 to 5, does the committee agree?
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 6th
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 6th
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 6th
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 6th
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 6th
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 23-20(1): Committee Report 2-20(1) - Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act - Government Response, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 6th
The Chair Sheryl Yakeleya
Committee, we will now return to the bill number and title, Bill 2, Missing Persons Act. Does the committee agree?
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