R.J. Simpson

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 20, an Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to present Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. This bill seeks to amend the act to prohibit the disclosure of personal information of individuals who have successfully applied for remission of student loans. The proposed amendment, by forbidding the publication of personal information, will protect the privacy of successful applicants to the student loan remission program. This will allow residents to take advantage of the remission program without having their names published in the public accounts or any other public documents...

There are programs under development, such as the diploma program. I want to make sure that we focus our efforts where they are needed. I take the Member's point that we do need interpreters. I will go back to the department. I will find out what the plans are in terms of the diploma and other efforts that are happening and to see how we can ensure that we do have people capable of performing translation and interpretation services. Perhaps it's not a certificate program at this point. We do need those people in place, and I will have those conversations. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Perhaps we could have the witnesses introduce themselves.

The efforts of the department right now are focusing on revitalization because we realize that there is a need to revitalize languages so that they can be in wider use and then so that we can start utilizing interpreters more. Currently, there is no training program in the territory, but under the Indigenous Languages Action Plan, one of the deliverables in the next two years, less than that now, about a year and a half, is to create the partnerships with translating programs -- there are some in Alberta and BC -- and be able to make those connections so that we can encourage and facilitate...

Yes, please.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Increasing employment in small communities is an important mandate of our government. This week, across Canada, National Skilled Trades and Technology Week will be celebrated as we raise awareness of the many career opportunities in the skilled trades and technology sectors in the Northwest Territories and across Canada. This week, we also honour the 31 Apprenticeship High Mark award recipients and the 36 individuals who have obtained journeyperson certification this year in the Northwest Territories. I want to offer my congratulations to all the award recipients on...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have Mr. Mike Reddy, director of legislation, and Mr. Blair Van Metre, director of corrections services.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am here today to present Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Corrections Act. I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight for their review and for Members supporting the expedited consideration of this bill. As work progressed on the development of regulations to support the coming into force of the new NWT Corrections Act, the department concluded that Section 42 of the act lacked clarity. This section deals with the process for when the rules of a correctional centre are believed to have been breached by an inmate and when disciplinary or...

Madam Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Student Financial Assistance Act to prohibit the inclusion of student's personal information in the public accounts, notwithstanding the Financial Administration Act. Thank you, Madam Speaker.