R.J. Simpson

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 48: Arbitration Act, be read for the second time.

The bill repeals and replaces the existing Arbitration Act. The bill is based substantially on the Uniformed Arbitration Act adopted in 2016 by the Uniformed Law Conference Of Canada. The bill provides extensive and necessary updates to the law governing arbitration in the Northwest Territories, including provisions respecting:

The commencement and consolidation of arbitral proceedings;

The composition of arbitral tribunals and the appointment and removal of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So maybe a warning to the next Assembly: Don't ask for 22 different things if you don't have a plan to pay for them, because I agree, we need to focus our priorities; we need to ensure that we can pay for what we want.

All of you know, I often hear that we want more of this, we want more of this, more of this. But on the rare occasion, we do hear some suggestions on how we can increase our funds, our revenues. But for the most part, we hear, more, more, more.

So I thank the Member for raising this issue that we do need to to raise our revenue, do need to put a greater...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the Member said that she wasn't quite sure who to direct it to. So I appreciate you putting that confidence in me that I could answer the question.

ECE is not a lead on any sort of a population growth strategy; however, we do lead the labour file and recognize there is a significant need for labour in the territory. It really is holding back a number of industries and holding us back from providing the level of service that we want. So there is a lot of effort going into this from the HR standpoint, and I know health is doing work in terms of HR. We are looking at...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And just to be clear about my previous answer, the federal government will make it take years for us to get the program that the Member's talking about. They have processes in place that they take immigration very seriously, and they have a very robust process that does take time. So even to we can't just transplant a program from the Yukon. There is a lot involved.

In terms of an immigration advisory council, we're not looking to establish something like that at this time; however, I understand what the Member is getting at. And right now, ECE and ITI are going out and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So we have a service desk already. It is not specific to Ukraine, but it can handle the calls and the requests for information. So anyone who wants to contact them by email can contact @email or by phone at 18554405450. Thank you.

Thank you. With us, we once again have Mr. Ian Rennie, legislative counsel with the Department of Justice; and Mr. Brad Patzer, assistant deputy minister, Attorney General of the Department of Justice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I don't have much more to add than what I've just said in that we are going to sit down with providers who are saying that they need to increase their rates and have those discussions. So I guess if that's what commitment that the Member wants, but to say that I'm going to commit to doing these things that are very specific to each individual provider is just something I I can't make a commitment to something when I don't know what I'm committing to. But those conversations are happening, and we realize that we want everyone on board.

This is a major shift in how...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to present Bill 41: The Justice Administration Statutes Amendment Act.

Bill 41 is an omnibus bill and yes, we do have omnibus bills in this Assembly that advances amendments to three pieces of legislation:

The Jury Act;

The Summary Conviction Procedures Act; and

The Partnership and Business Names Act.

This approach was taken to streamline the process for advancing these three relatively minor amendments in a more efficient manner.

The changes being proposed for the Jury Act will ensure that territorial legislation regarding jury qualification standards...

I'd like to recognize my mother Betty Lyons and my sister, and middle child Chelsea Simpson.

Yes, I would.