Northwest Territories.

• Author: James, Cynthia
• Position: Legislative Reports

Session

The Second Session of the 19th Legislative Assembly began on February 5, 2020. This sitting was scheduled to conclude on April 2, 2020; however, in response to the developing COVID-19 pandemic the house was adjourned on March 16, 2020.

On February 25, 2020, the Minister of Finance, Caroline Wawzonek, delivered her inaugural Budget Address and tabled the Main Estimates 2020-2021. Conclusion of these estimates was not possible prior to the March 16, 2020 adjournment, and, as a result, on March 16, 2020, the Minister of finance tabled the Interim Estimates (Operations Expenditures) April 1 to June 30, 2020.

The interim estimates provide the necessary appropriation authority to support the government's operations for the three-month period of April 1 to June 30, 2020.

On February 27, 2020, the Government House Leader, R.J. Simpson, raised a Point of Order per Rule 24 suggesting that comments by the Member for Monfwi seriously violated the rules of order and decorum in this House.

On March 10, 2020 the Speaker ruled there was indeed a Point of Order and called upon the Member for Monfwi to apologize to the House. Due to the unexpected absence of the Tlicho interpreter, the ruling was deferred until the next day, when a Tlicho interpretation was available.

On March 11, 2020, the Speaker returned to his ruling on the Point of Order and again directed the Member for Monfwi to apologize and withdraw his remarks. The Member for Monfwi refused and was named by the Speaker and asked to leave the Chamber for the remainder of the sitting day pursuant to Rule 26(2).

On February 27, 2020, the Member for Monfwi raised a Point of Privilege suggesting that the Premier acted beyond her authority when terminating the appointment of the president of Aurora College. It was suggested that the Premier had breached the collective privileges of the House and acted against the dignity and authority of the Assembly as per Rule 20. The Member also suggested that the Premier obstructed the ability of the Legislature in carrying out its lawmaking functions. On March 10, 2020, the Speaker ruled there was no prima facie breach of privilege, and the point of privilege is dismissed.

On March 10, 2020, when...