Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly Committee Report 27-17(5), Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on Transition Matters.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to recognize Ms. Judy McLeod and thank her for supporting my colleague here, Mr. McLeod, over the eight years. You’re doing a great job, and also for all the work you do, again, for the region, in the health area.

It is Fire Prevention Week and I’d like to recognize Mr. John Moore from Inuvik, who is a volunteer firefighter for the community. I’d also like to recognize my constituency assistant, Ms. Weronika Murray. When my previous assistant decided to take a year off, there were some big shoes to fill and I was wondering how that was going to happen with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A team is a group of people linked in a common purpose. Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort, which allows each member to maximize their strengths. Each member helps other members realize their true potential and create an environment that allows everyone to go beyond his or her limits. Nothing could be more true of a team than the members and the staff of the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

I’d like to use my last Member’s statement to acknowledge such a good group, a strong group, a compassionate...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues.

Bill 55, Mental Health Act, will replace the existing Mental Health Act, which is out of step with national and international standards. Notably, the new act will authorize the use of community-based psychiatric treatment and provide better protection for patient rights by establishing a review board for hearing complaints.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs thanks the Minister of Health and Social Services for introducing Bill 55 within the life of the 17th Legislative Assembly. This is a significant achievement. The bill was referred...

Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 75(5) to have Bill 55, Mental Health Act, moved into Committee of the Whole for consideration later today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I understand, you can take as much time as you want to speak to anything you want to. I will reply to the opening address. I know this is the final day in the 17th Assembly. I just want to take this opportunity to recognize two Members in the 17th Legislative Assembly who made my time as a first-time Member very enjoyable, in most cases, I guess you could say, and help me become a better Member throughout the four years, and they are Mr. Bromley and Ms. Bisaro.

Over the four years they have definitely been educators, not only to myself but to all Members of this...

I know we always have discussions in this House about the cost of social programs, our high costs within governments and we go and look into our debt, this is a great investment and by all more places to have child care facilities and more people to access them, it’s only going to benefit us. I think the same goes for every dollar invested in child care or early childhood development is a $7 return. I mean why do we have to wait until the 18th Assembly to recognize that? It’s kind of concerning to me.

Another question I had in regard to the report as I’m discussing this is income assistant...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I have questions on a report that was tabled in our spring sitting, the feasibility study of the universal affordable daycare in the Northwest Territories. Coincidentally it was tabled on June 4, 2015, which is also the last sitting of our spring session. So, very little debate on it, even though it was something that was highly sought after by committee members as well as residents of the Northwest Territories.

In the report itself there are a lot of recommendations and I’d like to ask the Minister responsible, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment...

I just want to take one final opportunity here to thank all members of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, who had a lot of late nights going through the reports, doing the follow-up; the staff who helped us along the way as well as getting up early mornings, putting on all those kilometres to ensure that we listened to as many residents as possible to update this Mental Health Act.

I just want to also let family, friends and people who have been affected know that today we represent all those who have been affected by mental illness, whether it’s acute to severe, or tragic or fatal...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As mentioned earlier during our review, when we read our document on Bill 55, there was a long consultation process. We had about 17 written submissions and we visited nine communities. We opened up our discussion on August 24th with the Minister. I appreciate the Minister and his department with the work that he did with committee over the length of this bill.

As we proceed, I believe committee members may have other questions for the Minister as we proceed with Bill 55. Thank you, Mr. Chair.