Louis Sebert

We are currently looking at the possibility of transitioning the SMCC in Hay River to a therapeutic community model. We are spending time on this. Certainly, as I said before, we were all impressed when we went to Guthrie House. I think we should move ahead with our review to ascertain whether we can replicate that model in the Northwest Territories, because clearly, we have to start doing business in a different way.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a number of concerns about the proposed motion, and, if it fails, there may be an opportunity to accomplish its objectives without the negatives associated with the particular language. We do understand the motivation to see other private retail options to be open sooner rather than later. I think we need to be very careful not to suggest that there's a huge market waiting to be captured with lucrative returns to be had. The prices must be set in a way that can displace the illegal market.

Everyone should appreciate that it is going to be a challenging operating...

I doubt whether the parties involved in those cases regard them as frivolous, but the rental office does offer public education materials. When appropriate, landlords and tenants are encouraged to resolve matters outside the formal application process. However, it has to be said that not all individuals are prepared to be flexible. Many want their day in court. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I suppose in some ways it would have been better if we had had more time, but we didn't. The federal government proceeded. Frankly, we didn't have all that much time. I guess we are fortunate that there is likely to be a slight delay in the legalization from July 1st, which would have really put in a difficult situation if legalization was a month and a day away. Instead, it looks like it is going to be, as I understand it, mid-August, so we have been given a little more time. I suppose it is not enough.

I think the bill is a good compromise and will serve us well in the...

We will continue to monitor the backdate, the backlog in the rental office and, if necessary, will look at adding additional people. I think we want to look at how things go over the next few months. I will get an update of the figures that I have provided to the House. If there appears to be a worsening of the problem, obviously, we would have to look at other alternatives.

Yes, Mr. Chair. I thank Mr. McNeely for his comments, and I know committees as well as the government were under a lot of time pressure on this, but, between the officials that we sent around and the two committees, I believe we did visit most of the communities, not all but most of the communities, containing a pretty high percentage of the overall population. Thank you.

We had thought for some time that in no way did the lease fees cover the types of costs of administering such a huge area. So we thought there had to be an increase in any case, but apart from that, of course, there are certain things that lessees receive. One of those things is exclusive right to use the land with legal certainty. So we feel that that alone is worth quite a bit, and of course there are issues that Lands is going be having to deal with in the future, such as unauthorized occupancy. So yes, there were increases, and we feel they were justified. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I had mentioned previously, these rates have not been changed for many years, and we wanted to have consistency with our leasing rates, so therefore these changes which the Member opposite is alluding to were felt to be reasonable. Costs have increased considerably over the last 15 or 20 years, and we thought that these increases, which are significant, are reasonable. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Revolving Funds Act to increase the authorized limit of the Liquor Revolving Fund. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Certainly, the issue of taxation of cabins has come up in our discussions with Aboriginal groups, in particular the Metis. I can't speak to how that issue has been dealt with at negotiating tables, because I am not directly involved at that level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.