Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with third reading of Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act.

---Consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’ll refer that to Mr. Mercer.

Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Even though I did support the last motion, I will have to abstain on this motion. The reason being is the reason I supported the last motion. As I said, people need more time. As the Member from Hay River mentioned, six months is not enough time. That’s why we asked for up to two years for a moratorium here so people can get that information.

We would have had a couple more votes on our last motion if we didn’t go ahead with this one, and I was hoping that we didn’t. But just with that, I’m abstaining on this one.

We also have issues of nursing, and the department has been working with the community. Every fall and spring they send a nurse into the community to spend – whether it’s breakup or freeze-up – with the community.

Will the Minister work with that department to set up some sort of arrangement like that?

In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Justice. I’d like to ask the Minister, what is the holdup on having the RCMP spend the weekend in the community of Tsiigehtchic?

I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 74(2) and have Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, moved into Committee of the Whole.

---Unanimous consent granted

I seek consent to proceed with the second reading of Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, today.

---Consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Premier mentioned that this morning we had a number of awards here at the Legislative Assembly today. Of those recognized of the single window service centres, I have three constituents out of those 22 people. Ms. Shandel McLeod, Ms. Diane Koe and Mrs. Maureen Cardinal-Clark were the three GSOs who we have in our communities.

They do a lot of work on our behalf, going visiting elders and people who cannot come out to the offices. They’re a great help to our communities and I hope that as we move forward that this program continues. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, be read for the second time.

Bill 66 amends the Legislative Assembly Retiring Allowances Act and the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act so that the definition of child includes a child who is dependent upon the Member because of mental or physical impairment. The bill also makes adjustments to the definition of recipient so that the same terminology is used in each act.