Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Committee Report 220(1), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act, as well as Bill 2, Missing Persons Act, and Tabled Document 9320(1), 20242025 Main Estimates, the Departments of Infrastructure and Finance. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will proceed to the first item.
Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess and resume with the first item.
SHORT RECESS
Thank you, committee. We have agreed to consider Committee Report 220(1), Standing Committee on Social Development Report on Bill 2: Missing Persons Act. I will go to the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development for any opening comments. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Bill 2, Missing Persons Act, was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development on February 26th, 2024. It was important to the committee that the bill be reviewed thoroughly but also with urgency as the committee has heard strong feedback that this legislation needed to be in place as soon as possible.
Throughout the committee's review, the committee consistently received feedback that reflected two sides to the issue of missing person cases:
On one hand, it was expressed to the committee that everything needs to happen as quickly as possible in a missing persons investigation. On the other hand, it was emphasized as equally important to take the time to consider the privacy of people who are missing, especially in the event that some people might not want to be found if they are fleeing an abusive situation.
The committee also heard consistent feedback on how to make sure missing persons investigations can be more effective, especially in small communities.
Finally, it was made clear to the committee that all those who interact professionally with missing persons cases, be they justices, police officers, shelter workers, or other roles, should be operating in a fashion that is traumainformed and culturally responsible.
The committee has made nine recommendations to reflect the valuable feedback that was shared with the committee throughout the review.
The committee would like to thank everyone who participated in the review. I would like to thank committee for their work on this review. Individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. I will now open the floor to general comments on Committee Report 220(1). Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This bill is very important to the residents of the Northwest Territories, particularly the family of Frank Gruben. He went missing and still haven't heard any have any leads on his whereabouts. The Committee on Social Development went to the community of Aklavik and Inuvik. We've heard testimonies from the community and the family of how much it's hurting the community. Not only the family, it's hurting the community. And more than anything, the family wants closure. They want information from the RCMP on the investigation process but due to privacy, the family's unable to get that information. So this bill will give the families and the RCMP more tools to deal with missing persons, how to deal with the family directly on other measures that will take in finding people who are missing.
Frank Gruben's case went national. Everybody from the southern parts of Canada have been responding, pleading for any information that someone may have that they come forward, but nobody has come forward. And hopefully this bill will give the RCMP and the authorities more tools to open up a wide range of proper investigation. So I'm real happy that this bill came forward and like I stated, the community of Aklavik and the family expressed great remorse. The mother Laura spoke and she ended up in tears. And I know at one time I saw his brother Steven posted on social media that he's not getting any information from the government, from the RCMP, from any authority just to give them a little closure. Not complete closure but a little closure just so they can feel at peace and feel as a family again. And they weren't getting that, and he resorted that, you know, they may take different action, legal action against the authorities, even against the government. And the views that he got and the responses that he got from the general public was overwhelming. And we're just hoping that this bill will bring closure to the family and the community. I'm happy to be a part of this government that's going to try to bring this bill to life. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Mackenzie Delta. Are there any other comments from Members? Thank you. I'm seeing no further comments. MLA for Monfwi.
Madam Chair, Bill 2, missing Persons Act received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on February 26, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review.
Throughout the committee's review, the committee met with the Minister of Justice, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and over 55 members of the public in three public hearings held in Aklavik, Inuvik and Yellowknife. The committee also received five written submissions on the bill.
On May 28, 2024, the standing committee held its clausebyclause review of the bill with the Minister of Justice. The committee amended three clauses in the bill with the Minister's concurrence.
I thank the committee for their efforts in reviewing this legislation. I would also like to graciously thank the courageous family members of missing people who also spoke to the committee to inform the committee's review of this bill.
Individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Member from Monfwi.
Committee motion. Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories work with Indigenous governments and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to establish a committee of local and community Indigenous leaders when a missing persons investigation is underway to aid with search and rescue operations, including the involvement of traditional knowledge, and facilitate communication with the affected family and loved ones. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories work with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and justices to evaluate any cultural safety programming or training being offered to Royal Canadian Mounted Police Members and justices to ensure it is traumainformed and otherwise responsibly addresses those working with missing person cases in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried. Thank you.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories establish training specific to the Missing Persons Act and its responsible, culturally appropriate usage for justices, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, nonprofit staff, and shelter workers. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that in the formulation of regulations for the Missing Persons Act, the Government of the Northwest Territories require the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to include a schedule in the annual report referenced in the Missing Persons Act that outlines statistical missing persons information in the Northwest Territories;
And further, that the regulations state where the annual report will be published. Thank you, Madam Chair.
The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the House refers the matter of titling bills to the Standing Committee on Procedures and Privileges to review and consider the current conventions in the titling of bills and if those conventions should be expanded. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories work with the federal government in establishing legislation specific to the Sixties Scoop and creating programming to assist those impacted by the Sixties Scoop in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories include specifics on record retention and destruction in the development of the regulations for the Missing Persons Act. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? All those abstaining? The motion is carried.
Carried
Member from Monfwi.
Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories incorporate the consideration of information that suggests that a missing person may not want to be located in the development of the regulations for the Missing Persons Act. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
