Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. We’ll keep him really busy today. I’d like to follow up on the process underway to develop a recreational land use framework in the Yellowknife block transfer area and to control squatting on all lands surrounding Yellowknife.

In July the Minister informed all the Yellowknife Members that the recreational lease planning study is underway to gather information for development of the framework, and I applaud this action. The Minister also said that stakeholder and public consultations are the next step...

When we plan continuing dependence on fossil fuels we are planning for now. When we plan for renewables we are planning for from now on. I will be asking questions on why renewables aren’t being considered here. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Natural gas as a community energy supply has gained attention lately and there’s a consideration being given to expanding that use in communities. Let’s examine some related issues and consider the wisdom of our long-term approach.

The situation in Norman Wells is well known. Huge costs are being faced as the local gas supply ends and the town struggles to find a cost-effective replacement. In Inuvik a $5 million contract is being let to provide a propane backup should local gas supplies fail, as they will in two to 15 years. Inuvik is preparing itself to deal with the...

I find myself agreeing with the Minister that there should be no reason to include this clause in this piece of legislation. The land claims legislation, the settlement legislation has these clauses in it, and it’s clear that that is the law and we know that it takes precedence over all other legislation. Unfortunately, although the Minister has suggested, I believe, that we put this in the Interpretation Act and therefore there would be even greater clarity if it was needed, the government has been totally inconsistent in applying this clause in their legislation. So we find it lacking and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I very much appreciate that commitment from the Minister. I’d like to ask if the Minister has ensured, or this government has ensured that the cleanup costs of this situation are provided for in the agreement-in-principle on devolution that this government has signed, given that we know what the costs… Now, we have some experience at trying to clear the land of squatters. We know what the costs are, and there are many, many more on the federal lands that we may soon be responsible for. Are the costs of that accounted for in the agreement-in-principle and will the...

That’s quite a bit of slippage, obviously, from what was previously the plan. I believe this work is intended to be completed by the end of December of this year, so that is clearly in jeopardy. I would ask the Minister to please keep us informed on that and perhaps explain that delay.

In the February session, Mr. Speaker, I also congratulated the Minister on the work underway to prosecute current block land transfer squatters and stop new squatting. I pointed out that squatting on Commissioner’s land is only part of the problem and that the federal government does nothing to help. I asked the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also recognize the returning officer for Weledeh, a lady who has served in that capacity a number of times, I believe, Ms. Pam Dunbar.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Given that this government is also in a position of conflict as both regulator and proponent, as the Minister has mentioned, and the fact that we’ve got $27 million buried into this project, we need to take the high road.

Will the Minister commit to taking that high road and bringing independent oversight, as we would require for any other project that we are not both regulator and proponent on? An obvious conflict of interest.

Is committee agreed that we can bring witnesses in?