Michael Nadli

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my final question is more likely to be two questions. The first question would be: does the Minister feel we have done all we can to address our priority in the 18th Assembly by addressing family violence? Or does he also feel that this whole challenge would probably flow into the 19th Assembly? Masi.

I would like to thank the Minister for his reply. The other question that I have, we need to get beyond the attitudes in terms of the whole crisis of family violence in communities. We need to try to at least have some discussions and some of the cultural, and the barriers that we have to go through. One of the challenges in my view, we need to ensure that the initiatives that we undertake has a wide roll out, that it's not just perhaps, that Yellowknife is basically making statements on family violence. The regions and communities have to be involved. How is the Minister and his department...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Berna Matto, who is the South Slavey translator. She’ll be here for the duration of the session to provide South Slavey translations. Mahsi.

Once again, having a home of course is the biggest investment that a person will undertake in their lives. At the same time, it is also an investment in the community, but, in some communities, there is no land.

Can the Minister commit to working closely with communities to open up larger areas of land for development, in an effort to step away from piecemeal development and towards a more holistic approach?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to recognize Erin Porter from Enterprise, who is also a director from the South Slave for the Mackenzie Recreation Association. As well, I would like to recognize Lyla Pierre of Sambaa Ke and also just to congratulate the Mackenzie Recreation Association for their 25th year anniversary. Welcome and mahsi. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question was: the Minister makes reference, very confidently, to transportation through the trucking industry in terms of bringing fuel to Hay River, by railroad as well, and also, he seems to suggest that there has been some analysis, and whether there has been some studies in terms of cost comparisons as to an existing base in Hay River, as opposed to, perhaps, an option like Inuvik or Tuktoyaktuk as a base of operations for MTS. Would he share those studies and findings or analysis with the committee? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it is very concerning in terms of what is happening way up north. We, in the southern Northwest Territories, you know, have the highways to transport our goods and services to our communities, but unfortunately, people that live way up north, a lot of their goods and services have to be brought in by barges, or sometimes, in this extreme example, flown in because they don't have any other choice. I really sympathize with my colleague, who spoke in terms of ensuring that, you know, people from those communities got some answers.

My question is very basic, and...

The Minister stated two interesting streams of a process that communities would undertake: one, for the purposes of residential interest, people could apply for land; and, also, the other process is a commercial interest in communities. What is the difference between the two processes, and are they basically the same?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think everybody has a dream of owning their own home and building a home, but a house needs a critical aspect of making a long-term home, and that is land. My question is to the Minister of Lands. What steps has the Minister of Lands taken to identify and make land available for residents of the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, despite this vastness, we are all too familiar with the fact that our residents do not have access to land. I'm talking about the lack of land available for community development, residential, recreational, commercial, and agricultural purposes.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the life of this Assembly, my colleagues and I have raised numerous issues related to land availability, such as unauthorized or untendered occupancy, lack of agricultural land, and high securities burden. From a community development perspective...