Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be here today to talk to you about Bill 62, An Act to Amend the Coroners Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its careful review of the bill.

Bill 62 will amend the Coroners Act to create consistency in the powers that are afforded to coroners in the NWT and in other Canadian jurisdictions. The amendments will also:

● expand the investigative powers of coroners;

● expedite the investigative process where possible, in the interest of returning bodies to families in a more timely manner;

● clarify what personal information can be disclosed; and

● make minor improvements to various provisions of the act.

Delays in completing investigations can prove to be a hardship on the family of the deceased. The proposed amendments will help to strengthen the response times for those who need answers to provide closure.

In developing this bill, the department undertook consultations with the chief coroner, the Department of Health and Social Services and the NWT Information and Privacy Commissioner. The thoughtful input we received is much appreciated, as it helped to improve the bill before you today.

I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding this bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We’re looking at modernizing the rules that do date back to the 1970s. We’re not anticipating any additional costs or court time with this in our efforts to modernize. Thanks.

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my right is Mr. Mark Aitken, assistant deputy minister, Attorney General’s office. To my left is Brian Asmundson, public trustee, Northwest Territories.

Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to appear before the committee today to assist in your review of Bill 59, Estate Administration Law Amendment Act.

The Estate Administration Law Amendment Act is an omnibus bill that would amend four separate acts that deal with estate administration: the Children’s Law Act, the Guardianship and Trusteeship Act, the Intestate Succession Act and the Public Trustee Act.

A primary focus of the proposed amendments is the changes necessary to ensure that existing legislation is consistent with the new Estate Administration Rules of the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. Those rules will replace the current Probate Rules, which have been in place for many years. The rules have been under development by a drafting committee, led by the Supreme Court, since September 2009 and are expected to be completed later this year. Bill 59 will eliminate references to the Probate Rules and add regulation-making authorities to address requirements relating to the filing of accounts by trustees. The bill also includes amendments that will increase the amounts that may be paid on behalf of a child where there is no appointed guardian, increase the entitlement a spouse receives where the deceased has surviving children, and allow the Office of the Public Trustee to administer an estate having a value less than $75,000 without obtaining a grant of probate or administration.

The department consulted on the proposed amendments with the Law Society of the Northwest Territories and the Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories. The department also consulted with the public guardian with the Department of Health and Social Services.

I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its careful review of Bill 59, and I am pleased that a motion resulting from that review will be brought forward this afternoon to help improve the bill. I would be happy to respond to any questions Members may have. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, to my right is Ms. Kelly McLaughlin, director of legal division.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I would.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be here today to discuss Bill 56, Miscellaneous State Law Amendment Act, 2015.

The purpose of Bill 56 is to amend various statutes of the Northwest Territories for which minor changes are proposed or errors or inconsistencies have been identified.

Each amendment included in the bill had to meet the following criteria:

1. It must not be controversial.

2. It must not involve the spending of public funds.

3. It must not prejudicially affect rights.

4. It must not create a new offence or subject a new class of persons to an existing offence.

Departments responsible for the various statutes being amended have reviewed and approved the changes.

The amendments proposed in Bill 56 are minor or non-substantive, and many consist of technical corrections to a statute. The amendments are of such a nature that the preparation and legislative consideration of individual bills to correct each statute would be time consuming for the Government of the Legislative Assembly.

I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for its review of Bill 56 and would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have regarding the bill. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “2014-2015 Grants and Contributions Results Report, October 2015,” and “NWT Community Futures Program 2013-2014 Annual Report.” Thank you.