Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this report within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. There is a motion on the floor, and the motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you. Committee, do you agree that we have concluded consideration of Committee Report 2-18(3)?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. This concludes our consideration of Committee Report 2-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories. We have next agreed to consider Committee Report 3-18(3), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Motion 32-18(2), Referral of Petition 6-18(2), Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories to the Standing Committee on Social Development. I will turn to the chair of the committee which produced the report for any opening comments. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On October 19, 2017, the Standing Committee on Social Development presented its report on Motion 32-18(2), Referral of Petition 6-18(2), Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories, to the Standing Committee on Social Development. The report involved one recommendation. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. I will open the floor to general comments. Any general comments from committee? Mr. Vanthuyne.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the committee for undertaking this as well as to those who first presented this as a petition. The petition did get significant uptake. I do not think it is unreasonable to suggest that this is a matter that a lot of residents of the Northwest Territories were hoping would actually be moved forward and would go through.
For me, it is just a matter of time, and maybe now is not the time, but maybe some point in the future, that we are going to reach a point where we no longer have to change our clocks at all. This is antiquated, archaic legislation from back in the wartime days, and it really carries no effect today, but what does carry an effect is the negative effects that switching your clocks forward and backwards each year has.
One thing that the report did not note which, if we are ever to go down this road again, I would strongly suggest they look into, are the effects that it has on families and in particular young, young kids. That is a disruption for families when they are trying to have a newborn or very young child make this adjustment two times a year, but I recognize that this is something that the committee has done some significant work on and the research department has done some good work on, and I regret that it will not be passing, but I just thank them for that and wanted to put my comments on the record. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Seeing nothing further, Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this Assembly recommends, should the Government of the Northwest Territories consider change to the daylight savings time regulation in the future, that it engages with its counterparts in Alberta and undertake both broad, public, and targeted stakeholders' engagement. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. There is a motion on the floor. The motion has been distributed and is in order. To the motion. Mr. Sebert.
I would like to thank the committee for its very bold initiative. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Sebert. Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I think the last speaker with the Member opposite kind of summarized, when a lot of these kind of issues come forward, they come forward and they are written off as something that is not important to people, but they are important to people.
In the Province of Alberta, where they had a similar Private Member's bill, it generated more public engagement than any other piece of legislation in the province's history. So daylight savings, the debate around daylight savings, because it affects people's lives in a very personal way, it is disappointing to have things like this that are brought to this House via way of petition - this was not a Member's initiative; this was an initiative of the people of the Northwest Territories - to be written off as a laughing matter by any Member of this House.
Notwithstanding that, I think the committee is right to pause this work until Alberta, but my one concern is Alberta has said the same thing, that we are not going to move forward until BC does it, and BC has said we are not going to do this until California does it, you know, so they are waiting for one domino to fall and then everyone will follow suit. I say that, if we really think this is a good idea for our residents, let's be that first domino and let's just deal with it. Saskatchewan seems to do all right, and I think the Northwest Territories, if this is something our people want, that we should be bold and decide on whether or not we want to be that first domino and see everyone follow suit. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. To the motion. Mr. Nakimayak.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I think motions like this, we need to look at what is going on to the west of us, to the east of us, and as well as other governments in this country and around the world before we start to change something like this which could affect operations within federal jurisdictions like, say, Parks Canada, for instance. They need to coincide, they need to coordinate their time of operations all across Canada, and that is the daylight savings time, time zone changes, and we need to look at the trajectory of which way these are going. I think they are staying stable, and, Mr. Chair, I think we need to focus on issues that directly affect Northerners. This is not one of them, in my view. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Nakimayak. To the motion. I will allow the mover of the motion to close debate. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the record, our committee took this seriously. Our research department looked into this matter quite extensively. I guess the biggest challenge that we found is that we are connected, really, with Alberta, and when Alberta is not going to change anything, that has a huge impact on us. I respect the opinions of my colleagues who voiced their concerns. They are very valid. However, at the end of the day, we have to make sure that we are consistent with our partner, which is Alberta, in how we deal with things, so when we made this recommendation, it was based on the information that we received. If Alberta does not change, then we are causing a disconnect with them, as well. Again, that is why we encouraged, that the motion is that, if it is brought up again, that they work with Alberta and stakeholders in the public to make a decision. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour. All those opposed. The motion is carried.
---Carried
Thank you, committee. Does committee agree this concludes our consideration of Committee Report 3-18(3)?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We have now concluded consideration of Committee Report 3-18(3), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Motion 32-18(2), Referral of Petition 6-18(2), Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories to the Standing Committee on Social Development. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Beaulieu.
Marsi cho, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
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. The motion is carried.
---Carried
First, however, I want to thank the Pages who have been with us all week and who have been with us throughout this sitting. We could not do it without you, so thank you very much. I will now rise and report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Committee Report 2-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations on the Review of the 2015-2016 Public Accounts of the Government of the Northwest Territories and Committee Report 3-18(3), Standing Committee on Social Developments, Report on Motion 32-18(2): Referral of Petition 6-18(2): Elimination of Time Change in the Northwest Territories To Standing Committee on Social Development.
I would like to report progress and that Committee Report 2-18(3) and Committee Report 3-18(3) are concluded with seven amendments. Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Masi. Do I have a seconder? The Member for Yellowknife North. The motion is in order. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
Masi. The Member has requested a recorded vote. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour, please stand.
The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, and the Member for Yellowknife South.
Masi. All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the motion: 15 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions.
---Carried
Third reading of bills. Minister of Finance.
Masi. The Member has requested a recorded vote. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour, please stand.
The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Member for Hay River South, the Member for Thebacha, the Member for Hay River North, the Member for Mackenzie Delta, the Member for Yellowknife North, the Member for Kam Lake, the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh, the Member for Nahendeh, the Member for Frame Lake, the Member for Yellowknife Centre, the Member for Nunakput, the Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, the Member for Range Lake, and the Member for Yellowknife South.
Masi. All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand. The results of the vote: 15 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions.
---Carried
Please be seated.
Mr. Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly, good afternoon. I would like to take a moment to encourage all residents to honour the proud services and sacrifices made by current and past members of the Canadian Armed Forces. Remembrance Day is on Saturday, November 11th.
As this sitting comes to an end, I would like to wish the Members of this House good health, happiness, and prosperity as you enjoy the coming Christmas holiday season with your loved ones. I wish you all safe travels on the land, in the air, on the ice, and on our highways as you continue to work together, cooperatively, for the betterment of all Northerners.
Now, as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I am pleased to assent to the following Bills:
Bill 2: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2017-2018
Bill 3: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 3, 2017-2018
Bill 4: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2018-2019
Thank you, Quyanainni, Merci Beaucoup, Mahsi Cho, Koana.
Colleagues, I would like to extend the appreciation of this House to the Commissioner, Margaret M. Thom. It was a pleasure to have you in the House today. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the Pages who have worked with us over the last few weeks, assisted us, and contributed to the success of our fall sitting, and to thank obviously the interpreters who have been here since day one, each and every day. We appreciate your hard work and also your dedication.
Colleagues, as we leave the Chamber today, many of us will be returning to our home, our communities, and our constituencies to spend time with our family and friends. As we all know, our profession is one that demands a lot of us in terms of our time and also energy. Please do take the time to dedicate your time and focus, your energy, on those that matter most, your family and your loved ones. Although we will not sit again until the new year, we have a great deal of work ahead of us with the upcoming business plan reviews, review of the legislation, preparation for the upcoming budget session, and ongoing work of government, committees, and also each and every one of us as Members.
Colleagues, this marks the end of an era for our Assembly, 2017. This is the last day in the Chamber for our deputy clerk, Doug Schauerte, prior to his retirement. Doug will always be welcome to join us at the table in his new role as the honorary officer of the Legislative Assembly.
Doug began his public service career at the Legislative Assembly in 1985 as a committee researcher. By 1995, he had moved up the ranks to deputy clerk, a position he has held for more than two decades. Throughout his career, Doug has served this institution, our Legislative Assembly, all Members, and committees with dedication and professionalism. He has developed a wealth of knowledge that is second to none. He has eagerly shared his knowledge with Members, with staff, and anybody who is interested in this institution or our form of consensus government. Please join me in thanking Doug for his service to the Legislative Assembly and wishing him a great and well-deserved retirement.
---Applause
