Thank you, Ms. Cleveland. I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 2619(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Child and Family Services Act Lifting NWT Children, Youth and Families: An All of Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together.
Ms. Nokleby.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I won't be able to express myself as eloquently as my colleague did and I appreciate her words, and I think they very much capture the spirit of the work and how we progressed.
I think for myself, when I moved to this side of the House and I joined the social development committee, it was one that I felt was outside of my wheelhouse and has definitely been my steepest learning curve on this side of the House.
As a person without children myself, it was a whole new area to me, and I also wanted to express my thanks to those that shared with me and shared their experiences. I recognize the place of privilege that I come from and that I really cannot even imagine the depths of the trauma that people have felt as their families have been ripped apart. I can touch a bit on that as not having had time with my own father growing up so I do have some understanding of that parental alienation.
And so I just wish to reiterate what the chair said, that this was very moving work, it's very important work, and that I just want to say thank you to everybody that participated from the bottom of my heart. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Nokleby. Are there any further general comments? Mr. Johnson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have been critical about statutory reviews in the past but I think if there was one that was, you know, an obvious contender for this committee to choose, even though they had to do it, would be the Child and Family Services Act.
We've had two rather damning Auditor General reports in this area. And those reports speak to how the department is implementing policies. They don't necessarily speak to whether those are the correct policies and the Auditor General is not in and of itself there to focus on prevention. And I think this committee made the right choice in focusing on prevention.
I really do think this is the gold standard of committee reports, both in its end result and its process. I'm not a member of this committee but I participated in a number of the hearings. They used a wide variety of engagement tools. This committee was working harder than any other to engage with people during COVID to complete this work. They had very frank and honest conversations with a number of people involved in the system, and I think it has resulted in truly amazing work, that when you read it alongside the two Auditor General's reports it's clear we have a path forward working with Canada and working with our Indigenous governments, and all those in the system, to improve this area.
I will have further comments on the motions and going forward in this Assembly. I think there's some big questions about how we fund it. It's another one of those, you know. We should make this a priority, though, Mr. Chair, because prevention is the path forward and this report really sets out some some admirable recommendations and goals.
So I just want to thank the committee for this great work and everyone who presented to committee. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Johnson. Ms. Semmler.
(Audio)
Ms. Semmler, can you hear us; we cannot hear you.
Ms. Semmler, can you hear me; we cannot hear you.
[audio unavailable]
SHORT RECESS
Thank you, Ms. Semmler. Are there any further general comments?
Seeing no further comments, Ms. Cleveland.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories declare the overrepresentation of Indigenous children and youth in child and family services a crisis and develop a whole of government response in partnership with Indigenous governments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The motion is in order. To the motion?
[audio unavailable]
Committee, we'll just take a fiveminute break to fix some audio problems. Thank you.
SHORT RECESS
Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. As I understand, we're having a few technical issues so I move that the chair rise and report progress.
There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and nondebatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried. I will now rise and report progress.
Carried
I will now rise and report progress. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 23, 29, 39, and 41; Committee Report 26-19(2); Tabled Document 561-19(2), and would like to report progress with one motion and that Bills 39 and 41 are ready for third reading; and that consideration of Tabled Document 561-19(20 is concluded and that the House in those estimates as amended and that an appropriation bill be based thereon and be introduced without delay.
And Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Do we have a seconder? Member for Hay River North. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.
Carried
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orders of the day for Thursday, March 31st, 2022, 1:30 p.m.
Prayer
Ministers’ Statements
Members’ Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Oral Question 1067-19(2): Inuvik Mike Zubko Airport Expansion Project
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to the Commissioner’s Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motions
Motions
Motion 51-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to May 26, 2022
Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bill 23 - An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act
Bill 29 - Resource Royalty Information Disclosure Statute Amendment Act
Committee Report 26-19(2): Standing Committee on Social Development Report on the Review of the Child and Family Services Act – Lifting NWT Children, Youth and Families: An All of Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Thursday, March 31st, 2022, at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 5:49 p.m.
