Debates of October 30, 2024 (day 35)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Improving Fertility and Family Planning Supports in the Northwest Territories.

In June 2024, 189 residents of the Northwest Territories petitioned the Legislative Assembly to direct the Minister of Finance to investigate the impacts to the territory of a declining birth rate and how it may impact population growth; the increased demand for fertility treatments for individuals and families to conceive in the Northwest Territories; and, the feasibility of providing fertility treatments at no upfront cost to the Government of the Northwest Territories by providing a territorial tax credit for individuals undergoing fertility treatments.

Although the GNWT responded that there has been a decline in the birth rate from 2013-2022, and that a decline in population, including the birth rate, would have significant implications on the territorial economy, in addition to GNWT own source revenues decreasing, the GNWT noted that it has no mechanism to track demand for in vitro fertilization or IVF.

To begin to understand the scope of the issue more fully, I have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services: * a)

What additional resources are required to begin tracking prenatal screenings so that the GNWT can collect data on individuals struggling with infertility;

What additional resources or processes are required to allow for patients to self-report their usage of IVF supports for the purposes of data collection to better understand territorial demand for IVF;

What additional resources would allow the Department of Health and Social Services to better track the number of IVF referrals to fertility clinics provided to Northwest Territories residents each year; and,

Can the department provide a comprehensive list of fertility-related issues, which could allow for medical travel supports for residents, in comparison to other jurisdictions?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following six documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 11: An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act; Statement of Consistency for Bill 11: An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act; Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 (April 1 to June 30th, 2024); Public Service Annual Report 2023-2024; 2024-2025 Consolidated Budget; and, Northwest Territories Carbon Tax Report 2023-2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure and Finance. Tabling of documents. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 12: Business Day Statute Law Amendment Act; and, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Action Plan Committee Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, November 1st, 2024, I will move the following motion:

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that notwithstanding Rule 2.1, when this House adjourns on Friday, November 1st, 2024, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, February 5th, 2025;

And further, that any time prior to February 5th, 2025, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice;

And thereupon, the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it had been duly adjourned to that time.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Motions. Notices of motion for the first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Minister of Infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 11, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, be read for the second time.

The proposed, An Act to Amend the Motor Vehicles Act, will allow police to move more quickly with their investigations. The bill amends the Motor Vehicles Act to update and clarify the ways in which the registrar of motor vehicles can share information about drivers, vehicles, and holders of general identification cards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Question has been called. The motion is carried. Bill 11 has been read for a second time and is referred to a standing committee of the Assembly for further consideration.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 12, Business Day Statute Law Amendment Act, be read for the second time.

The proposed Business Day Statute Law Amendment Act corrects an error when changes were made to the Interpretation Act in 2017 which has resulted in some government offices technically being required to be open on Sundays. This Act will amend the Business Corporations Act, Consumer Protection Act, Judicature Act, and the Mechanics Lien Act, to deal with this problem and to ensure Sundays are not interpreted as business days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. Bill 12 has been read a second time and is referred to the standing committee of the Assembly for further consideration.

---Carried

Thank you. I now call the Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? I'll go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 193-20(1), 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Does the committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. We'll take a short recess, and we'll resume, two minutes for you.

---SHORT RECESS

Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 193-20(1), Capital Estimates 2025-2026, Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Does the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment wish to bring witnesses into the chamber? Minister.

Yes, please, Mr. Chair.

Does the committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Would the sergeant-at-arms please escort the witnesses into the chamber.

Would the Minister please introduce the witnesses.

Mr. Chair, to my left I have Pamela Strand, deputy minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. And to my right I have Nina Salvador, who is the director of corporate services. And I know I got that title wrong, I'm going to say. Director of knowing everything.

All right, thank you, Minister. The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to detail contained in tabled documents? Does the committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Committee, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment begins on page 45. We will defer the department totals and review the estimates by activity summary, beginning on page 46 with the economic diversification and business support, with information items on page 47. Are there any questions? I'll go to the Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Robertson Drive dock rehabilitation, I have been talking about this with the Minister for some time as it is in my riding. Can the Minister explain where we are at with the environmental -- or I guess, it's a technical assessment that was being conducted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, the Member is right, that we did work with Department of Fisheries and Oceans, their small craft harbours division, in order to do a feasibility study. Part of that study was an environmental site assessment phase 1 and phase 2. The feasibility study that was conducted by fisheries and oceans found that the location didn't adequately fulfill the needs of the GNWT, and so we are currently working with both Infrastructure and ECC on next steps on that one. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm going to go to the Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And thank you to the Minister for that. I'm hoping the Minister might be able to explain, then, what the department wishes to do at that location. I'm sure she's quite aware that that location is a bit of a public safety issue. The grade of the road going down to the water is dangerous for folks who are using recreational craft, and it is a well loved docking area. So if she can expand on that a little bit more, I'd appreciate it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And absolutely agree with the Member that it is certainly a location that is frequented by multiple residents of Yellowknife.

Currently, we don't have a final decision on this property. I wanted to be very transparent with this House as to where this project stands. We're continuing to work with ECC and Infrastructure on that decision, and as soon as I do have further information from both departments and am able to work towards a decision and have one and have further information for the House, I'd be happy to share it.