Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022, I will present Bill 59, An Act to Amend the Elections and Plebiscites Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

WHEREAS section 48(1) of the Human Rights Act provides for the establishment of an adjudication panel composed of at least three persons appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS section 48(2) of the Human Rights Act provides that the members of the panel hold office during good behaviour for a term of four years with the exception of the first members appointed;

AND WHEREAS there are two vacancies on the adjudication panel due to expired appointments;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management is tasked with recommending...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And hearing her say postmortem, I'm thinking MTS might be dead.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I encourage the Minister to keep pressure on the federal government, seek support of stakeholders, and stress the importance of the Hay River Harbour in moving goods to the residents of the Mackenzie Valley and Inuvialuit settlement region.

Madam Speaker, for my last question is the Minister willing to come to Hay River and hear firsthand the concerns that Hay River residents and stakeholders have on the continued operation of the Hay River Harbour and the need for immediate...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, that is good to hear. I'm glad to see that at least something was done in the last week. Finally we may have a Minister that will do what others before her were unable to accomplish since 1995.

Madam Speaker, can the Minister outline what the timeframe is for getting this information together in the form of the business case and forwarding it to the federal government for a funding decision? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I'm not sure what to do because I'm not used to going second, or third.

Madam Speaker, I want to end this week on a positive note therefore I am going to talk about the Kole Crook Fiddle Association and the positive impact it has on youth in the NWT.

Madam Speaker, if you are from anywhere in the Northwest Territories, I would expect that you know the legacy left behind by Kole Crook. Along with his big smile and zest for life, his legacy was his love for the fiddle and entertaining.

Madam Speaker, I personally had the privilege of knowing Kole, and I still remember...

Thank you, Madam Speaker; I have two motions.

I give notice that on Wednesday, October 26th, 2022, I will present Bill 58, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Reappointment and appointment of Human Rights Commission members, the motion:

WHEREAS section 16(2) of the Human Rights Act provides that the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission is composed of such members, between three and five in number, as may be appointed by the Commissioner on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the Human Rights Commission currently has only four members with a term of one of the Commission members set to expire on November 2nd, 2022;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have four days off so hopefully when I ask her next week, we'll have made more progress.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the Minister's pointed out, it will be very important, but hopefully not imperative, to get the federal government onside to secure the funding necessary for the renewal of the Hay River Harbour. Madam Speaker, can the Minister outline the efforts to date to engage with the federal government and the necessary federal Ministers? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the restoration of the Hay River Harbour and Channel is not just a Hay River matter as it impacts all of our communities along the Mackenzie River, along the Arctic Coast and into the High Arctic. It is important that this government seeks support from all persons, businesses, fishers, communities, and Indigenous governments relying on access to the safe navigable harbour, community resupply, and transportation services, to have the federal government support this initiative.

Madam Speaker, before we head home for our mini session break, I would be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hope the Minister and the department isn't putting all this work on the shoulders of the community because they just don't have they just don't possess the resources required to undertake this assessment review, evaluation. So can the Minister confirm if there is a communication plan in place that is directed at disseminating and gathering information to and from residents on mitigation solutions for specific areas in Hay River. Thank you.