(Yellowknife)  – Public consultations on Bill 55: Mental Health Act are now underway. The Legislative Assembly's Standing Committee on Social Programs, chaired by Mr. Alfred Moses, will be travelling widely to northern communities the weeks of August 24 - 28 and September 8 - 11, 2015. The schedule of community visits is outlined below.

Monday, Aug. 24                     Yellowknife                 1:30pm                        Legislative Assembly Building

Tuesday, Aug. 25                    Inuvik                          7:00pm                        Inuvik Community Corporation

Wednesday, Aug. 26                Norman Wells             7:00pm                        Royal Canadian Legion

Thursday, Aug. 27                    Tulita                          7:00pm                        Arthur Mendo Hall

Tuesday, Sept. 8                      Fort Smith                    7:00pm                        Pelican Rapids Inn: Blue Room

Wednesday, Sept. 9                  Fort Resolution                       7:00pm                        Antoine Beaulieu Memorial Hall

Thursday, Sept. 10                    Fort Providence                      7:00pm                        Snowshoe Centre

The Committee was scheduled to hold a public hearing in Tuktoyaktuk on Wednesday, August 26. Due to unforeseen and tragic circumstances in the community, the Committee has altered its travel schedule and will now travel into Norman Wells instead.

Bill 55, the comprehensive rewrite of the Mental Health Act, received second reading on June 2, 2015, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Programs. The Bill will replace the current Mental Health Act, which is out of step with legislation elsewhere in Canada. The proposed legislation would incorporate many important changes to the Mental Health Act. It would allow for the care and treatment of patients in their own communities. It would also establish a Review Board to hear complaints from patients, patient advocates, and medical practitioners.

A copy of Bill 55 can be found on the Legislative Assembly website at www.assembly.gov.nt.ca, under the Documents & Proceedings heading, Bills & Legislation. Written submissions are also welcome and should be directed to the Committee Clerk no later than Friday, September 11, 2015. If you are attending one of the meetings and require interpreting services in one of the official languages of the NWT, please contact the Committee Clerk no later than 48-hours prior to the public hearing.

For more information, please contact:

Alfred Moses, MLA Inuvik Boot Lake
Chairperson, Standing Committee on Social Programs
Legislative Assembly of the NWT
P: 867-669-2282
P : 867-777-4693
E: alfred_moses@gov.nt.ca

Danielle Mager, Committee Clerk
Standing Committee on Social Programs
Legislative Assembly of the NWT
P: 867-669-2231
C: 867-447-2230
F: 867-920-4735
E: danielle_mager@gov.nt.ca