Does committee agree?
Agreed.
We'll take a short recess.
---SHORT RECESS
Okay. We will call the committee back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Committee Report 6-19(2), Report on Remote Sittings. I will go to the chair of the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures for any opening comments. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I do have a few comments here. In June, Members will recall that we passed changes to The Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act that now provide us with the authority to conduct remote sittings of the House. The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures was tasked with providing some guidance to the Speaker on how and why the Assembly might sit remotely and when it would appropriate for a Member to take part remotely and what changes or amendments to rules might be needed to enable all of that. The committee reviewed emerging best practices from Parliament, provincial legislatures, and some international examples as this is an issue that has emerged, of course, in many countries around the world with the ongoing pandemic.
The committee discussed each question from the Speaker at length. We debated various scenarios to come up with a set of recommendations in this report that tried to find the right balance and make sure that Members' rights to participate in the Assembly are protected, with making sure that we can try to do all of that efficiently.
The committee also reviewed the orders of the day and proposed a number of changes in the event of a remote sitting. Of course, these recommendations will basically serve as drafting instructions for actual rule changes. Those rule changes will come back to the House in the new year for review and approval, and then we can start to meet remotely as the Assembly. There is also a provision for these changes to be reviewed after each remote sitting to see if we can make improvements.
I would like to thank my fellow committee members for their diligence and thoughtful review of our rules and procedures that led to the recommendations I am going to present shortly, and I look forward to hearing from all of our colleagues as we work our way through. Those are my opening remarks, Mr. Chair.
I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 6-19(2), Report on Remote Sittings. Do any Members have general comments? Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My general comment is: I would like to express appreciation to the committee for undertaking this work. We do not know when we will need it, but what we have here is a very comprehensive road map of what a virtual sitting could look like. No doubt, there are things that we have not considered, but I thank the committee for getting us off to a good start. Thank you.
Do Members have any other general comments? Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. First, I would also like to thank the committee. I just want to make a note to not downplay the historical significance of this. There are lots of assemblies around the world that have been struggling with how to sit online, and committee has gone and come up with some very comprehensive notions of how we can do that. This institution and legislative assemblies in general are not institutions that are quick to change or adapt, but I think committee really went there. I am excited at the possibility of being able to pass laws digitally. It's truly a step for democracy, so I just do not want to downplay the significance of this. Thank you, committee.
Thank you, Member. Are there any further general comments? Seeing no further comments, Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the comments from my colleagues.
Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the rules of the Legislative Assembly authorize the Speaker to conduct part or all of a session remotely, using an approved platform, in the event of a state of emergency declared for the entire territory under the Emergency Measures Act or a public health emergency declared under the Public Health Act; and further, that the rules authorize the Speaker to convene part or all of a session remotely if the Speaker is satisfied after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly that the health, safety, or well-being of Members would be at risk by meeting in person. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
All those in favour? Oppose? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move this committee recommends that the Mace, as a symbol of the authority of the people of the Northwest Territories, should be placed in the Chamber on its normal stand if possible and, if not, displayed in another manner in keeping with its symbolic significance during any remote sitting of the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you. I have a question about this recommendation. It recommends that the Mace be put in its place, which is here in the Assembly on its perch. In the event of a remote sitting, would this tie our hands in any way? If the reason we are having a remote sitting is because we cannot get into the building, would it cause any issues for Legislative Assembly staff? How is that contemplated? Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, committee did turn its mind to this matter. Of course, we have recommended remote sittings only in limited circumstances. I think I mentioned the public health emergency and a state of emergency under the Emergency Measures Act or if the Speaker is satisfied that the health, safety, or well-being of a Member might be compromised, so already, remote sittings are only contemplated in a limited set of circumstances, recognizing that one of those might be if we do not have a building to meet in any further.
We did not go as far as to say that staff had to be here, in this building, even if we were meeting remotely. I think that is an operational level of detail that we did not really need to get into, and I think that we want to leave some discretion for the Speaker in how the House might conduct itself, including where the Mace might be appropriately displayed. There is provision in here for the Mace to be placed in a symbolic place. It could be in the lobby or in another location as part of a video-conferencing platform. I do not think we wanted to get too prescriptive but to try to maintain the dignity of the House by having the Mace or a representation of the Mace in some way as part of the proceeding. I hope I have answered the question. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. Are there any further questions? Question has been called, so all those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carried.
---Carried
Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move this committee recommends that the rules of the Legislative Assembly authorize the Speaker to allow a Member to attend all or a part of a session remotely when that Member is unable to travel due to a state of emergency being declared in the Member's home community, the Member is under an order of the Chief Public Health Officer prohibiting travel, or the Speaker believes travel would put the Member's health or safety at risk. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, just very briefly, committee did turn its mind to this, and we only wanted to allow Members to participate remotely for a very narrow set of reasons but also give the Speaker some discretion if people are taking discretionary travel, even business travel related to the Assembly. Sitting here is really a privilege and a duty, and we want to make sure that MLAs make every effort to come here in person. We prescribed a very narrow set of circumstances under which a Member could participate remotely. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that Rule 12(10), which states, "When in the Assembly, every Member shall be attired in traditional Indigenous attire or in a manner that does not offend the dignity of the Assembly," apply when a Member is appearing remotely. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is passed.
---Carried
Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that training and orientation for online sittings should be provided; and further, that the board of management should look at providing a headset to each Member to ensure consistency; and furthermore, that any Member attending remotely be required to wear a headset. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Member for Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that any member attending remotely by videoconference be required to have a neutral background on screen; and further, if the Speaker determines a background is distracting to the House, the Speaker be empowered to order the Member to rectify the issue and, if the Member refuses, to turn off the Member's video and allow the Member to participate via audio only. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Member for Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that, whenever a Member is attending session remotely, all votes on readings of bills, or on any motion that requires notice, be conducted as a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Member. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
