Debates of Feb. 24th, 2026

Thank you. Minister -- I am going to go to the Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think for those that do pay attention to this, they should -- just wanted to provide a quick comment. Although it was -- in my view, it wasn't quite mentioned by the Minister -- it was in some ways, but it's just a molding of multiple Acts, problems together, and it's not a technical change in the context of anything really -- changes in the system. And hence, this is just a bringing it together in a consistent form. So in other words, not -- even though technically Bill 33 is a new law but there's no new law or new grounds being broken, and I think that's probably a narrative that's missing from the conversation we're having here today. So there's no questions but the point is I just want to make sure that the public knows that it's just bringing together two pieces, separate pieces, into one. That's all. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. If there are no further questions, I want to say thank you to the Minister and thank you to your witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the chamber.

Okay. Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 35, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2026. I will ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to be here today to discuss Bill 35, the Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2026. The purpose of Bill 35 is to amend various statutes of the Northwest Territories for which minor changes are proposed or errors or inconsistencies have been identified and to repeal the temporary variation of of statutory time periods, COVID-19 Pandemic Measures Act, which was put in place as a temporary measure during the COVID-19 pandemic and is no longer necessary. Each amendment included in the bill had to meet the following criteria:

• It must not be controversial;
• It must not involve the spending of public funds;
• It must not prejudicially affect rights;
• It must not create a new offence or subject a new class of person to an existing offence.

The Department of Justice routinely brings forward Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Acts which make changes to various statutes that require minor amendments or where errors or inconsistencies have been identified. The department responsible for the statutes for which provisions are included in the bill have reviewed and approved the applicable provisions.

This concludes my opening remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members have regarding Bill 35. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Okay, thank you. Minister, would you like to bring witnesses into the chambers?

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Does committee agree? Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the chambers.

Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, today I have with me Laura Jeffery, legislative counsel, Department of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will now turn to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, the committee that reviewed the bill, for any opening comments on Bill 35. I will go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My opening comments are short and sweet.

Mr. Chair, Bill 35, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2026, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 31st, 2025, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. The committee completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill with the Minister of Justice on February 16th, 2026.

I thank the committee members for their efforts in reviewing this legislation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Bill 35. Are there any questions? Okay, seeing none, is the committee agreed that there are no further general comments? Committee?

Okay, thank you. Can we proceed to a clause-by-clause review of the bill?

Committee, we will defer the bill number and the title until after the consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 1 of the bill.

Clause 1, does committee agree?

Thank you. Clause 2, does committee agree?

Clause 3, does committee agree?

Clause 4, does committee agree?

Clause 5, does committee agree?