Debates of May 23, 2025 (day 58)

May
23
2025
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
58
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay Macdonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Mrs. Yakeleya
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 26: An Act to Amend the Public Service Act
Bill 27: An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act
Member’s Statement 641-20(1): Renewable Energy Development
Member’s Statement 642-20(1): Northwest Territories 2023 Wildfire Season After Action Review
Member’s Statement 643-20(1): Report of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment on the Review of Land Use Permitting and Water Licensing Regulatory Framework in the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 644-20(1): Food Security and Affordability in the Sahtu REgion
Member’s Statement 645-20(1): Northwest Territories Extended Healthcare Benefits
Member’s Statement 646-20(1): Access to Healthcare and Addressing the Effects of Trauma
Member’s Statement 647-20(1): State of Healthcare Services at the Stanton Territorial Hospital
Member’s Statement 648-20(1): Role of Elders in the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 649-20(1): Access to Non-Insured Health Benefits
Member’s Statement 650-20(1): State of Healthcare Services in the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 651-20(1): Hay River Lobsterfest
Member’s Statement 652-20(1): Holly Fantasque, Manager of Recreation and Youth Programs for Hamlet of Fort Liard
Minister’s Statement 128-20(1): Emergency Response and Preparation for the 2025 Fire and Flood Season
Motion 56-20(1): Code of Conduct Referral to the Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges
Question 688-20(1): Public Administrator of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority
Question 689-20(1): Participation of Students in Track and Field Event
Question 690-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 691-20(1): Policy Directives to the Public Utilities Board
Question 692-20(1): Extended Health Benefits Program
Question 693-20(1): Elders in Schools Programs
Question 694-20(1): Targeted Amendments to Waters Act Regulations
Question 695-20(1): Health Program Promotion Efforts in the Dehcho Region
Question 696-20(1): Non-Insured Health Benefits Program
Question 697-20(1): District Education Authorities and District Education Councils
Question 698-20(1): Recognition of Credentials of Specialist Doctors
Question 699-20(1): Co-Development of Stanton Territorial Hospital Emergency Room Services Plan
Question 700-20(1): Administration of Non-Insured Health Benefit Program for Indigenous Residents
Question 701-20(1): Unmarked Graves in Fort Resolution
Tabled Document 341-20(1): Supplementary Estimates, Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization, No. 1, 2025-2026
Statements

Can we proceed to clause-by-clause review of the bill?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 1 of the bill.

Clause 1, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. Clause 2, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. Clause 3, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. Returning to the bill's number and title. Bill 17, Municipal and Community Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

To the bill as a whole, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Does the committee agree that bill 17, Municipal and Community Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, is now ready for third reading? Does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Does the committee agree that concludes our consideration of Bill 17, Municipal and Community Affairs Statutes Amendments Act? Does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. Minister, thank you to your witnesses. And sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses from the chamber.

Committee, we have agreed to consider Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Name Act. I will ask the Minister of Justice to introduce the bill.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm here today to present Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Names Act.

Bill 18 will address an error made during amendments to the Partnership and Business Names Act in 2015 stating that a suspension of registrations is required while a registration is under review. This was not the intent of the change from 2015. Instead of stating that a decision is stayed, the legislation should say that a decision is not stayed during the review period to avoid unreasonable and unpredictable delays in registering business names. In addition, Bill 18 makes the language used throughout the Act more gender inclusive.

This concludes my opening remarks, and I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have regarding Bill 18. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Would the Minister like to bring witnesses into the chamber?

Yes, please.

Does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-arms, please escort the witnesses into the chamber.

Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, today I have with me Brian Asmundson, acting director of legal registries with the Department of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will now turn to the chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, the committee that reviewed the bill, for any opening comments. I'm going to go to the Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Bill 18: An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Names Act, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on February 10th, 2025, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. On April 22nd, 2025, a very busy day for committee, the standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Justice and completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill.

I thank the committee for their efforts in reviewing this legislation and, of course, individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. I will now open the floor to general comments on Bill 18.

Does the committee agree that there are no further general comments?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Can we proceed to clause-by-clause review of the bill?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. There are 37 clauses in the bill. Where possible, I will call clauses in groups of 5. Does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Thank you. Committee, we will defer the bill number and title until after consideration of the clauses. Please turn to page 1 of the bill.

Clause 1 to 5, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Clause 6 to 10, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Please turn to page 2 of the bill. Clause 11 to 15, does committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Clauses 16 to 20, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Please turn to page 3 of the bill. Clauses 21 to 25, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Please turn to page 4 of the bill. Clauses 26 to 30, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Please turn to page 5 of the bill. Clauses 31 to 35, does committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Clauses 36 to 37, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.

Returning to bill number and title. Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Name Act, does the committee agree?

Speaker: SOME HON. MEMBERS

Agreed.