Rylund Johnson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In order for my dream to come true I actually got to get ahold of a piece of land, which is not an easy task. You know, there was a cabin lottery, after decades, in 2015 and it was a real long shot whether you could actually win one.

So my first question for the Minister of Lands, does he have any update to this House on whether there will be another cabin lottery? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you. I know right now the nursing program in Yellowknife is, you know, by most measures a success. I know many of the people who have taken that program or are taking it presently. But I believe there's some limitations on the space to expand that program, especially in the housing. I've heard from people that, you know, didn't get into that program or chose not to take that program because they couldn't get student housing. So, you know, even in the world where Yellowknife gets another program, I'm not convinced its current space requirements will allow that, especially on the...

Awesome, very happy to hear that stuff is being caught up. I was very excited to see the announcement of the return of the social work/teacher program as well as kind of some work for a general arts and science program. Do we have an estimated cost for reinstating those programs? Thank you.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the other frustrations I've heard is from the people who aren't allowed to live in their leases is they're also not allowed to run any sort of business activity out of them; you know, whether that's as simple as making wood stoves or doing wood haul or it's something like renting out your cabin from time to time. I know there's kind of an insatiable demand for cabin rentals but it's not currently legal under the leases. Is there any path to allow some sort of homebased or commercial business activity in leases? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope there can be buyin from our Indigenous governments and we can all find a path to move forward on this. I think there are a number of options.

My next question is, you know, even if you get one of those leases you can't live in them; you can't get a real mortgage. There's a lot of kind of limitations. I think the easiest solution here is that for longterm leaseholders that we create some sort of policy that allows them to get title in appropriate circumstances. Is there any path forward for longterm leaseholders to get fee simple title? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a dream that one day I can leave this place, maybe go into the woods, build a little cabin, live there, and not think about politics. Perhaps I could run a little tourism business on the side, maybe have a garden, and if I'm lucky enough maybe one day pass that home on to my children and just generally be left alone, Mr. Speaker. But Mr. Speaker, the Department of Lands has killed my dream and the dreams of so many others because, first, in order to build that cabin you got to win a lottery, Mr. Speaker.

And even if you win the longshot bet on that lottery, they...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to switch gears a bit on the trades front. What I've been seeing lately is a lot of great announcements coming out of the federal government and directly to Indigenous governments. You know, I think we saw the Tlicho get, I believe, it was 30 apprentices paid for. I know Fort Good Hope has some federal funding to build a trades centre, which is all great work. There's other examples going on. I'm just hoping the Minister can speak to the extent we are kind of aware of that tracking it or offering partnership. I think, you know, the Fort Good Hope, for...

Thank you. Do we know where on which of the three campuses each of those programs is planning to be located? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 67, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm wondering when those licenses are renewed, right now they are limited, their hours and the department sets their hours. Is it possible to get some beer on Sunday, Mr. Speaker?