Quyananni. I move, second by the honourable Member for Hay River North that Bill 93, Practice of Engineering, Geoscience and Applied Science Technology Act, be read for the second time.
This bill repeals and replaces the Engineering and Geoscience Professions Act with a new Act. The new Act provides a modernized framework for the practice of professional engineering, professional geoscience and applied science technology, including for continuing professional development and discipline. Quyananni.
Thank you, Minister. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.
Question.
Question has been called. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you. I promise I'll keep it brief. I just wanted to say that it's exciting to me as an engineer, a professional engineer, to see this bill coming into the department that makes a lot more sense for it to reside in. The Department of Infrastructure probably, I think it's fair to say, contains most of the engineers that work for the Government of the Northwest Territories. I do know also that in the past, the government itself did not necessarily register their engineers as they did not see them in the role of actual work of engineering. However, over the last several years and decades, there has been a change in that relationship and an understanding that while engineers may be working for the bureaucracy, they still have a function and a role that is engineering and that they are parts of our council and our group as well.
Another piece that this does is it allows for the registration of civil engineering technicians and technologists which is an advancement in the territory. Previous to now, any of these people or these professions would have been registered out of Alberta and their association, APEGA, so it's really important that it be allowed to come to the territory because technicians and technologists provide another form of employment in this area that does not require a fouryear university diploma and is or sorry, university degree, it is rather a diploma program, which means it is a lot more accessible for many of the northern students. And hopefully something that I will see in the polytechnic curriculum when we get to that point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill.
Question.
Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Bill 93 will be referred to standing committee.
Carried
Second reading of bills. Minister responsible for Justice.
