Louis Sebert

Essentially an equity lease can be assigned to a new lessee, but we are not currently issuing any new equity leases. If a person has an equity lease, and it has a term to it, that equity lease is assigned. The new lessee would take over that lease and be bound by the terms and conditions. As I say, we are not granting new equity leases.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a mandate commitment to have land use plans in all regions of the Northwest Territories. Furthermore, the government's vision of land management, articulated in the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, states that we will promote and support land use planning in all regions of the Northwest Territories.

Regional land use planning in the Northwest Territories has been a key component of our evolving land and resource management regime since 1983, when the Basis of Agreement on Northern Land Use Planning was signed by the federal and...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents entitled "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 570-18(3): Supreme Court of Canada Redwater Decision" and "Follow-Up Letter for Oral Question 651-18(3): Equity Leases." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize my wife Anne who is in the gallery with family friend Jim Umpherson.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 46, Public Land Act, be read for the second time. This bill repeals the Commissioner's Land Act and the Northwest Territories Lands Act and replaces them with a consolidated statute that comprehensively governs all public land within the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 46, Public Land Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 45, Corrections Act, be read for the second time. This act repeals and replaces the former act. The new act focuses less on punishment and more on rehabilitation and community reintegration of offenders. Operational improvements are made, including with respect to risk management and security, quality assurance and monitoring, case management and programming, and staff training. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, in recognition of global Open Government Week, I would like to take this opportunity to update this House on our government's progress in advancing our mandate commitments for increasing government transparency and accountability.

One year ago, Mr. Speaker, I stood on this floor and announced the release of our government's Open Government Policy. The policy represented an important step towards fulfilling our government's pledge to greater openness and transparency.

Mr. Speaker, the Open Government Policy committed our government to develop directives and guidelines to improve the...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that Bill 45, Corrections Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.