Debates of August 28, 2023 (day 161)

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Rule 8.2(2), I seek consent to proceed with the second reading of Bill 97, An Act to Postpone Polling Day for the 2023 General Election, at this time.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake is seeking consent to proceed with second reading of Bill 97 at this time. Are there any objections?

Seeing none, Member, you have consent; please proceed. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 97, An Act to Postpone Polling Day for the 2023 General Election, be read for the second time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this bill postpones polling day for the 2023 General Election. If passed, the election date will be changed from Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023, to Tuesday, November 14th, 2023. This bill has been brought forward on the recommendation of the chief electoral officer and at the direction of Members. It recognizes the current situation in the territories in that in more than half of the territory, an election could not be run safely starting next week as required by law. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Boot Lake. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Member for Frame Lake.

Yes, thanks, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the opportunity to talk to this. I think this is, you know, unprecedented times that we're in. We've talked about this earlier today even. It's not going to be possible for us to hold fair elections on September the 2nd as originally planned given that 70 percent of the population of the NWT has been evacuated. This would affect the majority of the actual ridings in the NWT as well. You know, so I think we've taken the advice of the chief electoral officer seriously. I think the only, I guess, piece of new information here is the date of November the 14th. And I guess, you know, I certainly will support this bill. I don't want the election prolonged any longer than necessary, and my public intentions of not running, I think, are known as well. So I think this is probably the least intrusive way we can do this. I am, though, concerned that the fires may continue on into October. That's what happened last year. The Scotty Creek Research Station near Fort Simpson was burnt down the middle of October last year, and so I am concerned that there may, indeed, still be some communities that are under an evacuation order even into October. Certainly, we're all hoping that that's not the case, but it could happen.

We do, as I understand, have the ability to go back and push it back further if indeed this were the case, but it would require changing not just one piece of legislation but two at that point because the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act requires that there be a first sitting of the Assembly 45 days after the end of sorry, the end of an election and it also sets when an Assembly finishes. So we may, indeed, be put in the position of having to amend this a second time if the fires prolong for much longer than anybody would ever like.

I think the longer term fixed for this is to actually change both pieces of legislation if necessary to provide for some emergency contingency provisions such that we're facing right now, and I think that's the longer term effects that would probably require some a little bit more thinking and some drafting, and I think that's something that can and should come out of whatever review is conducted at the end of all of this. But, you know, in lieu of trying to find a way forward at this point, this is the least intrusive way and I will support the bill. And I want to thank our staff and the chief electoral officer for the advice that they have all provided and input they've given us on this. Thank you. Merci, Monsieur le President.

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

Question.