Julian Morse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And what I'm looking for is maybe some more detail about those conversations. So would the Minister specifically consider establishing a division or agency within one of those departments specifically tasked with this role as a part of our work to address workforce development? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to workforce development, we have had some success in the NWT with individual companies developing a project-specific workforce through training and development programs. This has worked well for long-term projects like mines which have lifespans of a decade or more; however, our economy is increasingly shifting towards more project-based employment for which this kind of workforce development model does not work as well. Projects are more time limited, sometimes involve seasonal work, and are spread across the territory. Any individual...

Thank you, and I appreciate your indulgence, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister has highlighted exactly the problem that I'm trying to raise today, and that is that we do not have a regulated counsellor and psychotherapist under the Health and Social Services Professions Act. Will the Minister commit to investigating the potential for regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists and report back to the Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just following up on that response, I heard a "should" but that doesn't sound like a requirement to me. So can -- first of all, can the Minister just clarify for the House about that; is that a requirement or is it simply a recommendation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the NWT, a number of health care professions are regulated under the Health and Social Services Professions Act. Psychologists were regulated under this act in 2022 for example. Meanwhile, counselling and psychotherapy are not yet a regulated profession in the NWT, and I have been approached by practitioners with concerns about the lack of a regulatory body to these professions here.

Anyone in the NWT can currently offer counselling or psychotherapy services without any formal education or training as long as they are not claiming to be a psychologist or...

Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 17, Municipal and Community Affairs Statutes Amendment Act.

Bill 17 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on February 10th, 2025 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. The standing committee completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs on April 22nd, 2025.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope that this is simply a clarification of the second question as opposed to my third. But I simply say that the Minister said that -- something along the lines of counsellors under one of their programs -- I can't exactly remember which one off the fly -- but should register with a regulatory body. I was trying to determine if that is a requirement or simply a suggestion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think my statement spoke for itself earlier.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of health. Has the health department done any work to date on regulation of counsellors and psychotherapists under the Health and Social Services Professions Act that they can report back to the Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Names Act.

Bill 18 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on February 10th, 2025 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Government Operations for review. The standing committee completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill with the Minister of Justice on April 22nd, 2025.

Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Partnership and Business Names Act, is ready for consideration in Committee of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to request unanimous consent that we move item number 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery, up to item number 4, please. Thank you.