Debates of June 2, 2023 (day 160)

Date
June
2
2023
Session
19th Assembly, 2nd Session
Day
160
Members Present
Hon. Diane Archie, Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Mr. Bonnetrouge, Hon. Paulie Chinna, Ms. Cleveland, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Mr. Edjericon, Hon. Julie Green, Mr. Jacobson, Ms. Martselos, Ms. Nokleby, Mr. O’Reilly, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Rocky Simpson, Ms. Semmler, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Ms. Weyallon Armstong
Topics
Statements

Tabled Document 955-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 39-19(2): Report on the Prevention and Management of Contaminated Sites

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3919(2): Report on the Prevention and Management of Contaminated Sites. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Finance.

Tabled Document 956-19(2): Department of Finance Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Submissions

Tabled Document 957-19(2): Government of the Northwest Territories 2023-2024 Consolidated Budget

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Madam Premier.

Tabled Document 958-19(2): Emerging Stronger: Planning the NWT’s Social and Economic Recovery Together – June 2023 Update

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document: Emerging Stronger: Planning the Northwest Territories Social and Economic Recovery Together June 2023 Update. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Madam Premier. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Tabled Document 959-19(2): Housing Northwest Territories Energy Management Strategy 2030

Tabled Document 960-19(2): Housing Northwest Territories Energy Management Blueprint 2023-2026

Tabled Document 961-19(2): Housing NWT Renewal Policy and Program Review Action Update

Tabled Document 962-19(2): What We Heard: Housing NWT Energy Management Strategy

Mr. Speaker I would like to table the following four documents: Housing Northwest Territories Energy Management Strategy 2030; Housing Northwest Territories Energy Management Blueprint 20232026; Housing NWT Renewal Policy and Program Review Action Update; and, What We Heard: Housing NWT Energy Management Strategy. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Infrastructure.

Tabled Document 963-19(2): Plain Language Summary of Bill 93: Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act

Quyananni. I wish to table the following document: Plain Language Summary of Bill 93: Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act. Quyananni.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister responsible for Justice.

Tabled Document 964-19(2): Letter to Chair of Standing Committee on Social Development Regarding Government of the Northwest Territories Intervening in Supreme Court of Canada Case on the Report of Child and Family Services

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Letter to Chair of Standing Committee on Social Development Regarding Government of the Northwest Territories Intervening in Supreme Court of Canada Case on the Report of Child and Family Services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.

Tabled Document 965-19(2): Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh 2023 Graduates

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a list of graduates from the Tu NedheWiilideh riding, and I want to say congratulations to them. Mahsi.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Tabling of documents.

Tabled Document 966-19(2): Summary of Members’ Absences for the period February 7 to March 30, 2023

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Colleagues, pursuant to section 5 of the Indemnities, Allowances, and Expense Regulations of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table the summary of Members' absences for the period February 7th to March 30th, 2023.

Motions

Motion 82-19(2): Extended Adjournment of the House to August 16, 2023, Carried

I MOVE, second by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that when this House adjourns on Friday, June 2nd, 2023, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, August 16, 2023.

AND FURTHER, at any time prior to August 16th, 2023, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interests requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, or at a time later than the schedule resumption of the House, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as if it had been duly adjourned to that time.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. The motion is in order. To the motion?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Question.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried.

Carried

First Reading of Bills

Bill 95: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 20232024

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 95, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 20232024, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Bill 95 has had first reading. First reading of bills. Minister responsible for Finance.

Bill 96: Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 20232024

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 96, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 1, 20232024, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the motion oh, sorry. Bill 96 has had first reading. Sorry, getting ahead of myself here.

Second Reading of Bills

Bill 93: Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act, Carried

Quyananni. I move, second by the honourable Member for Hay River North that Bill 93, Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act, be read for the second time.

This bill repeals and replaces the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act with a new Act. The new Act provides a modernized framework for the practice of professional engineering, professional geoscience and applied science technology, including for continuing professional development and discipline. Quyananni.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Question.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Question has been called. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you. I promise I'll keep it brief. I just wanted to say that it's exciting to me as an engineer, a professional engineer, to see this bill coming into the department that makes a lot more sense for it to reside in. The Department of Infrastructure probably, I think it's fair to say, contains most of the engineers that work for the Government of the Northwest Territories. I do know also that in the past, the government itself did not necessarily register their engineers as they did not see them in the role of actual work of engineering. However, over the last several years and decades, there has been a change in that relationship and an understanding that while engineers may be working for the bureaucracy, they still have a function and a role that is engineering and that they are parts of our council and our group as well.

Another piece that this does is it allows for the registration of civil engineering technicians and technologists which is an advancement in the territory. Previous to now, any of these people or these professions would have been registered out of Alberta and their association, APEGA, so it's really important that it be allowed to come to the territory because technicians and technologists provide another form of employment in this area that does not require a fouryear university diploma and is or sorry, university degree, it is rather a diploma program, which means it is a lot more accessible for many of the northern students. And hopefully something that I will see in the polytechnic curriculum when we get to that point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Question.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Bill 93 will be referred to standing committee.

Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for Justice.

Bill 94: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2023, Carried