Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Are there any further general comments? Seeing none. Committee, can we proceed oh sorry, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Speaking to the bill, I also too won't be supporting the bill. You know, as it is already we have a regulatory process that we all have to go through when the mining industry comes up here. I know for sure in my community, N'dilo and the community of Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution, we do benefit from the mining industry from employment to IBAs. Some of these IBAs were just paid out to help put out from this evacuation that just happened and, you know, it's a concern that we're that we're doing that but at the end of the day, there's got to be a different way to do this, and right now as it is, I know back in the early days, like my colleague has said, that back in 1991 we had no we had high unemployment in our community. We went from, what, 85 percent in Dettah, N'dilo to when BHP first got here, and we maximized the benefits of the mining industry, and it created a lot of jobs for us, apprenticeship training, etcetera. And all four communities throughout the NWT that maximized the benefits in mining but now to have mining industry to go through hurdles, and we're just going to chase away mining industry now and for what reason? You know, I think it's important that we really take a look at this whole thing again. But for today, I can't support this bill. I mean, I right now, the mining companies like BMP, Diavik, De Beers, they're all on the downturn now. They're going to look at reclaiming etcetera. And we need jobs. The young people need jobs, you know, and by putting more barriers in place by this government, it's just going to chase these guys away, you know, and we don't want to do that. So I think that we should really take a look at this and for now, Madam Chair, I won't be supporting this bill. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Are there any further general comments? Seeing none, does committee wish to proceed to a clause by clause review of the bill? Can I see a show of hands, because I need a majority. All right. All those in favour of going to a clause-by-clause, raise your hand, show of hands for me. Opposed to going to clause-by-clause, show of hands for me. All right. So committee does not agree to a clausebyclause review of the bill. Does committee agree that it has concluded consideration of Bill 29?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We have concluded consideration of Bill 29. Thank you to the sponsor of the bill and to the witness. Sergeantatarms, please escort the witness from the Chamber.
Committee, we will now continue with Bill 77. Committee, we've agreed to consider Bill 77, Nursing Profession Act. I will ask the Minister of Health and Social Services to introduce the bill.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be here today to discuss Bill 77, the Nursing Profession Act. The development of this bill has been the result of significant time and effort by the Department of Health and Social Services and would not have been possible without input and contributions from the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Members of the Standing Committee on Social Development for the time they have taken to ensure this bill received comprehensive review. I also wish to acknowledge the time and effort members of the public took to develop submissions.
Madam Chair, the primary purpose of Bill 77 is to repeal the current Nursing Profession Act and replace it with a new act that will establish a single regulatory framework for all nurses in the Northwest Territories. The bill proposes to repeal the Licensed Practical Nurses Act and transfer authority to regulate licensed practical nurses from the Department of Health and Social Services to the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The new bill will establish new nursing designations, scopes of practice, and registers, as well as associated requirements for licensed practical nurses as registered nurse authorized prescribers, registered psychiatric nurses, and registered psychiatric nurse authorized prescribers, registered nurses and nurse practitioners will all continue to be regulated under this Act. The bill further proposes a modernized process for the review of conduct of members. I would be pleased to answer any questions the Members here may have.
Thank you, Minister. Would you like to bring witnesses into the Chamber?
Yes, please, Madam Chair.
Sergeantatarms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Minister, would you please introduce your witnesses.
Thank you, Madam Chair. On my left is Jessica Maguire, the assistant director of policy legislation and intergovernmental relations. And on my right is Ian Rennie from the legislative division of the Department of Justice.
Welcome. I will now turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development, the committee that reviewed the bill, for any opening comments on Bill 77. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Bill 77, Nursing Profession Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on March 28th, 2023, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. The standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Health and Social Services in Yellowknife on May 10th, 2023.
Through public engagement, stakeholder submissions were received from the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, the Canadian Nurses Protective Society, and a practicing NWT registered nurse. Committee expressed concern to the department about the need for continual training to ensure culturally safe care. Committee also raised further issues for consideration. Committee was concerned about the complaint process, that nurses should be provided notice of the right to receive a copy of the full complaint made against them and also the appeal mechanism for respondents ordered to pay costs specifically where the board of inquiry dismisses the complaint, and committee provided clarity and language on the topic of insurance and protection. These concerns and a French translation correction were addressed through six motions at the clausebyclause review held on May 31st, 2023. The Minister concurred with all motions.
I would like to thank the public for their time to meet with committee and for committee's work on the review of this bill. Individual Members may have additional comments or questions. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Bill 77. Does committee agree that there's no general comments on Bill 77?
Agreed.
Can we proceed to a clausebyclause review of the bill?
Agreed.
Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 16 of the bill.
Clauses 1 through 10, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clauses 11 through 20, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clauses 21 to 30, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clauses 31 to 40, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clauses 41 to 50, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clauses 51 to 55, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clause 56? Minister Green.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I would like to make a motion to change
sorry, Minister. In order to make the motion, you're going to have to return to your seat.
Madam Chair, I'm just I'll just wait for the motion to be distributed.
Minister Green.
Thank you. I move that the French version of Bill 77 be amended by striking out "par ecrit" in subclause 56(1) and substituting "en conformite avec les reglements administratifs." Thank you, Madam Chair.
The motion is in order. To the motion?
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. Clause 56 is amended. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you.
Carried.
Clause 57 to 60, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clause 61 to 70, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clause 71 to 80, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clause 81 to 90, does committee agree?
Agreed.
Clause 91 to 100, does committee agree?
Agreed.
