R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am excited to announce that today the Government of the Northwest Territories is releasing the Aurora College Transformation Implementation Plan and the initial areas of teaching and research specialization for the polytechnic university. These foundational documents, along with input from our residents and partners, will help guide the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university and beyond over the next six years. Later today, I will table the implementation plan, which identifies the critical milestones along the path towards the establishment of...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Interpretation Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Interpretation Act to remove references to "mountain standard time" and "daylight savings time" and replace them with a reference to "standard time," which will be the applicable time all year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 15, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2020, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Monday, November 2, 2020, I will move that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: "Aurora College Transformation Implementation Plan, October 2020" and "Government of the Northwest Territories 2019-2020 Annual Report on Official Languages." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is referencing the clientele of integrated case management, and there has been a limited number, I would say, over the past few years, of clients to that program. That's because those are clients who are facing a number of barriers. Those barriers interact with a number of different departments, and that's how they get access to that program. That program has shown us that sometimes these people, the clients in these programs, just need a little bit of assistance in certain areas. Sometimes, they need someone to go to the bank with them and help them talk to the teller and just give...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, "Follow-up for Oral Question 363-19(2), Policing in Hay River and the Northwest Territories." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

There is nothing wrong with saying it in an Indigenous language, but the fact is that GNWT is a public government and Canada is a bilingual nation. Until Indigenous governments take over certain services and service delivery, those are the laws that we have to follow.

I don't think that answering in one language denigrates or reduces the value of another language. I was talking with my spouse about this the other day. She was saying her granny spoke many languages, and when I think back, my grandpa spoke many languages. He was from Fort Chipewyan. He spoke English, French, Chipewyan, Cree. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to clarify something right off the bat, if an Indigenous employee or any employee wants to make an active offer in any one of our Indigenous languages, they are not only allowed to, I encourage them to. I think we need more of that. There is no policy saying that people cannot make active offers in their own languages. In case there is any question within the departments, the Minister is telling them right now that it is allowed and that it is encouraged.

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The reason that these active offers are being made is that Section 11(1) of the Official Languages...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Thursday, October 29, 2020, I will move that Bill 15, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2020, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.