Rylund Johnson
Statements in Debates
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In honour of this Sunday being International Women's Day, and my constituency assistant Cat McGurk recently receiving her Red Seal in carpentry, I want to speak about women in trades. Canada is facing a spike in trade and technology positions, without the skilled labour to fill those positions. The NWT presently heavily relies on southern labour to supply our various trade needs. Our infrastructure projects, our mines, and our private sector are all put at risk because skilled labour has become such a precious commodity in the North. We need to build up our skilled...
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my reason for requesting it is because securities administration in the GNWT, as we have seen with Cameron Hills, as we've seen with other departments, it seems to be all over the place in this kind of patchwork process. Will the Minister of Lands pursue a consolidated system to responsibly manage all of our securities, identify securities by project, and guarantee timely postings -- this is multiple questions. Madam Chair, will the Department of Lands conduct a review of all the securities in the GNWT and look to set out one coherent policy for the GNWT?
Thank you, Madam Chair. If someone comes forward and identifies that it is a rights-based cabin, do we then not charge them lease fees?
Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps if I could get the Minister to provide me a breakdown of what is held versus Lands and ENR? I will have questions on this when we get to speak to the Minister of ENR about the overlapping role of securities administration in those departments.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I am aware of a number of Indigenous leaders who have directed their citizens to not pay their lease fees, whether it be equity or otherwise. Can I have the Minister update me on the department's current approach to lease fees when a person has been directed by their leadership to not pay them?
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to speak now to securities and project assessment. Can the Minister of Lands tell me how much the Department of Lands holds in total securities?
Just to clarify, I am not asking that the Minister of Health and Social Services commit to fulfilling the requests. I am asking for a commitment that each of them be responded to, and it can be a "yes," a "no," a "we will get back to you." Is the Minister willing to do that?
Thank you, Madam Chair. Completion of land-use plans in collaboration with all Aboriginal governments was a mandate of the last Assembly, which, once again, was not fulfilled by this department. What level of confidence does the Minister have that we will have complete land-use plans in the life of this Assembly?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Previously, both in the media and in this House, we heard a number of concerns expressed by the Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories. I know that the Minister of health has met with them. I was hoping the Minister of health could provide an update to this House on the status of the requests made from the NWT Foster Family Coalition.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that answer. It was a priority of the 18th Assembly to begin this work and complete a Yellowknife periphery area recreation management plan. Can the Minister update me on what the status of that is?