Debates of Oct. 23rd, 2025

Clauses 31 to 40, does the committee agree?

Thank you. Clauses 41 to 48, does the committee agree?

Bill 23, An Act to Amend the Children's Law Act, does the committee agree?

Thank you. The bill as a whole, does the committee agree?

Thank you. Does the committee agree that Bill 23, An Act to Amend the Children's Law Act, is now ready for the third reading, does the committee agree?

Thank you. Does the committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 23, An Act to Amend the Children's Law Act; does the committee agree?

Thank you, Minister, and thank you to the witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the chamber.

Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Family Law Act. I'll ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to present Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Family Law Act, for consideration by Committee of the Whole.

Family law in Canada is an area of shared responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments. Bill 24 proposes amendments to the Northwest Territories Family Law Act that will bring it in line with changes to the federal Divorce Act that came into force in 2021.

Bill 24 is complementary to Bill 23, An Act to Amend the Children's Law Act, and therefore mirrors the amendments put forward in Bill 23 such as ensuring that the legislative regime for divorcing parents of children subject to federal law is applied also to common-law and other types of family outside of marriage.

Bill 23, like Bill 24, also puts forward provisions with a focus on best interests of the child, parenting responsibilities, duties for all parties to comply with all orders and regulations, alternative dispute resolution, and greater flexibility for the judiciary to create rules of court.

I would also like to thank the standing committee for its study of the bill. I concurred with one motion proposed by standing committee to retain 8(1) of the Act with language modifications to align with new terminology in the Divorce Act. The motion allows the courts to continue to disregard any provision of a domestic contract where it is in best interest of the child to do so.

This concludes my remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding Bill 24. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. We have agreed to consider Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Family Law Act. Now I'll ask would the Minister like to bring the witnesses into the chambers.

Thank you. Would the Minister introduce the witnesses? Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my right, I have assistant deputy minister, attorney general Brad Patzer. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, I will now turn to the deputy chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development, the committee that reviewed the bill, for any opening comments on Bill 24. I'll go to the chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Family Law Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on March 13th, 2025, and it was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review.

On October 20th, 2025, the standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Justice and completed its cause-by-cause review of the bill.

I thank the committee for their efforts in reviewing this legislation. Individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Member for Mackenzie Delta. I'm going to go to, is there additional Members that want to make opening comments? None?

I'll open the floor to general comments on Bill 24. None?

Is the committee agreed that there are no further general comments? Agreed?

Can we proceed to cause-by-cause review of the bill; does the committee agree?

Thank you. There are 28 clauses in the bill. Where possible, I will call clauses in groups of 10. Does the committee agree?