Robert C. McLeod

We had a long time to get ready for this question. I’ll ask Mr. Schauerte to explain the reduction in money.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have a duty to consult with the Aboriginal governments. We do try and consult with as many interested stakeholders as possible, but we do have a duty to consult with the Aboriginal governments. Again, this is another issue that, as we go into the next business planning process, if the Members and committee feel that this is something that we need to address, I suppose we will have to have a look at it then. My basic understanding is we have a duty to consult, so we provide some funding for that. Thank you.

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs’ main estimates for 2014-2015. The department’s main estimates propose an operations expenditure budget of $99.4 million, an increase of $665,000, or less than 1 percent, from the 2013-2014 Main Estimates. This increase is a result of $3.43 million in forced growth, an increase of $1.6 million in initiative funding, and sunsets and transfers totaling $1.01 million.

MACA has a number of key priorities in support of community governments. This year we completed the Accountability Framework for...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. None of the money is going to Yellowknife this year.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we got the question last year, I was hoping that we’d just reallocate this funding to other areas because we have one legitimate request in for this money right now. So we’re having a look at that. But I think as we go forward we may have to take this $168,000 because all the money that we do have, we allocate to the communities on a formula. Then we have this one pot here with $168,000 and it gives the impression that we’re funding anything that’s extraordinary. So we’d like to have a look at this one application we have now, but I think going forward we may have to...

I’ll commit to the Member that we’ll try and gather some of that information, if possible, and we’ll share it with committee.

With the decline in the CMHC funding, it’s getting awfully difficult for the Housing Corporation to put in other units, so we have to replace the ones that are already there. We have a lot of units that are old and that need replacing. The two units that I spoke to before, we’re doing our initial allocation for the market housing and the money that we had received through FMB and the Legislative Assembly to try and provide housing for professional staff in the community. We’re doing our initial allocation. I think there are a few that are earmarked for the Member’s riding. As well, next year...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Damon Crossman who works for our sport and recreation division and a man that can find you anything when you go to the Arctic Winter Games. I’d also like to recognize and wish good luck to Jamie Koe, who is going off to the Brier, I believe it’s this weekend, and if you need someone to pack your brooms, I’m available. Thank you.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The capital budget we just passed, I think there were two units that were allocated for one of the Member’s communities, and there was an additional nine with the replacement of the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik, so that’s 11 that we have for this year. As well, through the Modernization and Improvement Program, which is a major retrofit, we’ve got 19 units scheduled for the Member’s riding.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today on the Department of Lands’ role in the new regulatory regime in the Northwest Territories post-devolution. The NWT Devolution of Lands and Resources Agreement will bring significant changes to the Northwest Territories. The Department of Lands has a key role in ensuring that the sustainable use of public land reflects the priorities and values of Northerners.

The Department of Lands will support, manage, protect and administer the sustainable use of public land in the Northwest Territories. It will assume land management responsibilities being...