Debates of May 28, 2025 (day 61)

Thank you, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Inter-Activity Transfers Exceeding $250,000 (April 1st, 2024 to March 31st, 2025). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Tabling of documents. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table Backgrounder Document for the First Responders Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move that

WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly, in Motion 41-20(1), accepted the conclusion of the Integrity Commissioner that the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh violated the Members' Code of Conduct, reprimanded the Member, and ordered the Member to pay a $2,500 fine;

AND WHEREAS on April 24, 2025, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly received from the Integrity Commissioner a Supplemental Report about costs relating to the complaint by Jennifer Patterson that the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh breached the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Members' Code of Conduct;

AND WHEREAS on May 21, 2025, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly tabled the Supplemental Report from the Integrity Commissioner identified as Tabled Document 330-20(1);

AND WHEREAS the Integrity Commissioner has recommended that the Legislative Assembly partially reimburse Ms. Patterson for the legal costs she incurred related to the making and investigation of her complaint that the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh breached the Members' Code of Conduct;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly must accept or reject the Integrity Commissioner's recommendation within 15 sitting days of the Report being tabled in the Assembly;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the supplemental recommendation of the Integrity Commissioner in Tabled Document 330-20(1) be accepted and that the Legislative Assembly partially reimburse Ms. Patterson for the legal costs she incurred.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion carried.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to present to the House Bill 28, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, No. 2, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Pursuant to Rule 8.2(3), Bill 28 is deemed to have first reading and is ready for second reading.

First reading of bills. Member from Range Lake.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to present Bill 29, First Responders Workers' Compensation Amendment Act, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Pursuant to Rule 8.2(3), Bill 29 is deemed to have first reading and is ready for second reading.

First reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

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Mr. Speaker, I wish to present to the House Bill 30, Supplementary Appropriations Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026, to be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister of Finance. Pursuant to Rule 8.2(3), Bill 30 is deemed to have first reading and is ready for second reading.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member from Yellowknife South, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act, be read for the second time.

Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act, amends the act to improve access to emergency protection orders and to address physical and online harassment. This bill widens the definition of family members who may apply for protection under the act, adds stalking to the list of actions that constitute family violence, and will establish a new civil recourse related to stalking for victims of family violence. 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? Any abstentions? The motion is carried. Bill 27 has been read a second time and is referred to the standing committee of the Assembly for further considerations.

---Carried

Second reading of bills. Minister of Finance.

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Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 30, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization) No. 1, 2025-2026, be read for the second time.

This bill makes supplementary appropriations for operations expenditures and borrowing authorization for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Member. To the principle of the bill.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried. Bill 30 has been read a second time.

---Carried

I am calling the committee to order. I will now call the Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of the committee? I'm going to go to the Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 340-20(1), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2025-2026. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Does the committee agree?

Agreed.

Okay, thank you, committee. We will now continue with Tabled Document 340-20(1). Does the Minister of Finance wish to bring witnesses into the chamber?

Yes, please, Mr. Chair.

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

Minister, please introduce your witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my left, Bill MacKay as the deputy minister of finance. And on my right, Mandi Bolstad is the deputy secretary to the financial management board.

Thank you. Members, we will continue with the Industry, Tourism and Investment. Total department, not previously authorized, $3,868,000. Are there any questions?

Seeing no further questions -- oh sorry. Sorry, what was your question? Okay, thank you. Authorized $3,868,000. Are there any questions?

Seeing no further questions, Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, capital investment expenditures, total department, not previously authorized, $3,868,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you, committee. We will now consider the Department of Infrastructure on page 15.

Assets management, not previously authorized, $26,180,000. Are there any questions?

Seeing no further questions, Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, asset management, not previously authorized, $26,180,000. Does committee agree?

Agreed.

Thank you. Energy and strategic initiatives, not previously authorized, $12 million. Are there any questions?

Seeing no further questions, Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, energy and strategic initiatives, not previously authorized, $12 million. Does the committee agree?

Agreed.

Programs and services, not previously authorized, $4,813,000. Are there any questions?

Seeing no further questions, Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 1, 2025-2026. Department of Infrastructure, capital investment expenditures, programs and services, not previously authorized, $4,813,000. Does the committee agree?

Agreed.