Robert C. McLeod

Mr. Speaker, we do have a working group that does include the Aboriginal group. INAC is also invited to the table to take part in the discussion. So I can assure the Member that we’ll do what we can to continue to invite them to the table and have their input.

Some of the federal land, obviously, would be land that would be identified in some of these land claim processes that are going on, but it is our intent to always make sure we have the stakeholders, including INAC and the Aboriginal governments at the table to have a good discussion. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct; there are some communities that he may think get close to what Yellowknife gets, but a lot of the tax-based communities have the opportunity to create their own revenue, raise their own revenue and a lot of the non-tax-based communities don’t have that option.

All different areas of the formula funding will be looked at. We try to treat the communities across the Northwest Territories fairly. That’s why we go with a base-plus funding model for a lot of the communities, so you don’t get the smaller communities with, like, 42 people getting $20 when some of the...

Mr. Speaker, we also continue to work with LGA and LGANT. A couple of times a year we will bring a lot of the SAOs into the community. I’m sure they’re all aware of exactly how the funding formula works. I think they review it with them and that way the communities know on what basis they’re funded for their O and M. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the same process would be used if anyone else would have an interest in acquiring Commissioner’s land. They would approach the department and then we will work with them and the community to see if it’s feasible to sell this Commissioner’s land. But all the proper process would be followed. Again, I say, if part of the process is informing Members of fairly substantial land sales, Cabinet was informed, but if informing Members is part of the process, then I apologize if this wasn’t done in the particular case. I will ensure that in the future any substantial purchases, besides the...

The land in question, all the proper process was followed in disposing of the land. We normally would communicate to the local MLA that the land is being in question, but all the proper processes, as far as the Norman Wells Land Corporation and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, was followed to a T.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to extend best wishes to Team NWT’s 120 athletes, coaches and mission staff...

---Applause

...who will be participating in the 2011 Canada Winter Games being held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from February 11th to 27th.

The Canada Games are an important event that demonstrates the benefit of healthy, active living. The GNWT continues to provide funding for NWT youth to participate in multisport games as a way to encourage youth to be physically active and achieve this Assembly’s goal of healthy, educated people.

Our athletes have been preparing...

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes, we do share all the relevant information, all the information with the communities, because they’re the ones that benefit most from these particular formulas. The answer is yes, we do share all the information with them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’re just in the process of evaluating the O and M funding formula for all the communities. Obviously, with something of this size we would have discussion and we would consult with the NWT Association of Communities. I can assure the Member and all Members that we are reviewing the O and M funding formula as it exists today. Thank you.

As far as I know, we don’t normally. I’m not sure what the process is for letting the Members know, if it was an oversight on our part. I’ll follow up on that and see if it’s something that we would normally do.

The price of the land would be about $1.6 million for this particular piece and the Norman Wells Land Corporation are looking to better its economic base for the constituents that they represent. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Commissioner’s land just outside the boundary of Norman Wells was... The Norman Wells Land Corporation had come forward with a proposal to purchase the land from the Commissioner and we entered into talks with them and an agreement was put in place.