Check against delivery

Mr. Speaker, twice a year we all adjust our clocks by one hour. First we move them forward, and then we move them back. People have always questioned the wisdom of this annual tradition, but in recent years a number of jurisdictions have taken concrete steps towards eliminating seasonal time change. On Monday, April 4, the Government of the Northwest Territories will begin a six-week public engagement to help us determine when and how we will eliminate seasonal time changes.

The public engagement will invite residents to share their views on seasonal time change through an online survey.  The survey, which is anonymous and only takes about five minutes to complete, will ask residents whether they want to continue changing their clocks twice a year, or if they would prefer to permanently stick with Daylight Saving Time or with Standard Time. We will also reach out directly to key stakeholders and partners including Indigenous governments, community governments, relevant businesses, and non-governmental organizations.

The results of the survey and the feedback we receive will be compiled in a What We Heard Report that we anticipate releasing publicly later this year. This information, along with developments in other jurisdictions, will help us determine the best path forward for the NWT.

I encourage all Members of this House and residents to complete the survey to ensure their views are taken into consideration.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.