Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the question from the Member. I think, first off, I would like to say that this bill is an interim step. There was not an attempt to try to regulate funeral planners, their accreditation, and so on in this bill. That is not the purpose of it. That is not what I tried to set out to do in the first place.
There is a definition for funeral planner, and it is found in the Vital Statistics Act. It is defined as follows: funeral planner means a person who takes charge of a dead body for the purpose of burial, cremation, and other disposition. The duties of a funeral planner are defined under section 60 of the Vital Statistics Act. I will be the first to admit that it is not a comprehensive set of duties.
As the Member has indicated, there is a lengthy means of regulating this service in other jurisdictions, and I agree that we should probably ultimately aim towards moving in that direction. That is not the purpose of this bill. It was to at least ensure that cremation comes in under our existing system. I think the steps that the Member has outlined are the next logical ones, but they are not going to be addressed through this bill. I would be happy to work with my colleagues on the Cabinet side to try to move forward with some level of regulation of this profession, as well, but that is the next step after this bill. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Anything further, Mr. Testart?
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I certainly appreciate that. There is only so much that can be done with this type of legislation. Now, I know that there are funeral directors operating in the Northwest Territories who have certification from the Province of Alberta, and, in other examples in the Northwest Territories, we often use Alberta's qualifications, or we use other provinces', as well.
Has the honourable Member from Frame Lake had the opportunity to have that discussion with a representative from the government side on doing something similar, of applying Alberta's qualifications to our funeral directors? That might save us some time, and potentially money, in order to ensure that this profession is well-regulated and that there are those professional standards set. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the question again. I think it is fair to say that I have had some very preliminary discussions with at least a couple of our Cabinet colleagues about this, but we all know that there is a lengthy legislative agenda that we would like to accomplish together as part of this 18th Assembly. I am not responsible for that, but I am happy to work with them and Regular Members to try to move forward with that. There are other professions, even medical professions, that are not currently regulated; occupational therapy, physios, and so on. There are a number of professions, medical professions, that are not even regulated, so to sort of bring this one out and to bring it to the forefront, I am not sure that that is the priority that we might move forward together on.
I think there is a clear recognition, at least on my part and I think for other Members in this House, that it is something that we should move towards, but this is an interim step. That is what this bill is trying to accomplish. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate again where my honourable friend is coming from on this one, to create a service as an interim measure, so I guess I cannot ask this question directly. I will just include it in the debate.
It would be lovely if a member of the government's side could offer some clarity on their position on this issue and whether or not they have contemplated the regulatory issue that I have raised earlier today. Apart from that, I have nothing further for the honourable Member, and I am pleased to support his bill. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Do I have any further general comments? I see Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to thank the Member for Frame Lake for bringing forward this private Member's bill to propose amendments to the Vital Statistics Act and the Public Health Act, to provide some certainty that cremation can be authorized in the Northwest Territories. We do support the bill in principle.
Currently, NWT residents are sent south for cremation and are subject to a comprehensive legislative framework in Alberta. As the Member appreciates, an NWT regulatory framework for cremation will involve input from several departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories. If and when the bill is passed by this Legislative Assembly, I commit to working together with the Departments of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources, and Municipal and Community Affairs to develop regulatory changes that may be required.
It will be necessary for officials to consult with industry as appropriate and as is prudent. From a Health and Social Services perspective, we would consider regulatory amendments under the Public Health Act and, to be clear, these regulations would be restricted to sanitation standards, air quality, and other public health matters, but would not include specific rules around the business of crematoria, as it is beyond the scope of the Public Health Act.
We have not established a work plan or timelines, as this is a private Member's bill. However, if and when the bill passes, the department will make it a priority to meet with the other departments and map out the work required and the associated timelines, recognizing that we have a heavy mandate to commitments for many different areas in the government and this would have to fit in there. It might not happen as quickly as some want, but it is something that we will work towards. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Anything further? I see no further general comments. We can begin with a clause-by-clause review. We will defer the bill title and number until after the consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 2 of the bill. I will call out the clauses. Clause 1, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clause 2.
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. To the bill as a whole. Does committee agree that Bill 30, private Member's public bill: Health Statutes Law Amendment Act (Cremation Services) is now ready for third reading?
Agreed.
Bill 30 is now ready for third reading. Does committee agree that this concludes our consideration of Bill 30?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Thank you to Mr. O'Reilly and your witness. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witness from the Chamber. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that we rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
May I have the report, Member for Hay River North.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 24: An Act to Amend the Coroners Act; Bill 25: An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act; Bill 28: Interpretation Act; Bill 29: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017; and Bill 30: Health Statutes Law Amendment Act (Cremation Services) and would like to report that Bills 24, 25, 28, 29 and 30 are ready for Third Reading. Mr. Speaker, I move I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.
Do we have a seconder? The Member for Nahendeh. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
Mr. Speaker, the orders of the day for Friday, September 22, 2017, commencing at 10:00 a.m.:
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Commissioner's Opening Address
Petitions
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Motions
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Committee Report 12-18(2), Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning Report on the Progress Review of the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019
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Minister's Statement 186-18(2), Update on the A New Day program
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Tabled Document 416-18(2), GNWT Capital Estimates 2018-2019
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Tabled Document 419-18(2), Proposed Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019 (Revised)
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
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Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Coroners Act
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Bill 25, An Act to Amend the Residential Tenancies Act
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Bill 28, Interpretation Act
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Bill 29, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2017
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Bill 30, Health Statutes Law Amendment Act (Cremation Services)
Orders of the Day
Masi, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Friday, September 22, 2017, at 10:00 a.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned 4:48 p.m.
