Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that committee continues sitting beyond the hour of daily adjournment to conclude the item under consideration. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, because we’re now kind of spilling into potential capital here, I’m wondering if this capital has had any effect on the capital, this capital project initiatives that go to the communities, which is usually around $28 million. I’m wondering if the Minister, I know it’s not on here, if the Minister could confirm that that amount of capital has not changed as a result of any of this money? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I’d like to ask the Minister, the New Building Canada Plan, Small Community Fund, if all communities in the NWT are eligible for that $13-million fund?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on the gas tax, it was bumped up by $6 million in the last fiscal year. I was wondering if the Minister is anticipating any sort of bump in the gas tax this fiscal year.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I want to ask the Minister about a function for the communities. I want to know if this is the area or this is where Municipal and Community Affairs is able to help the communities with the whole process of capital planning, including any borrowing abilities that the communities may have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. I didn't want to get too deep into these nonbudget questions. However, for clarification, what I'm discovering is that individuals that were leasing because they don't have ownership of the lots did not attain ownership through a previous process  there's no more ownership process now but then ended up on a leased, piece of leased land which has now become a rental land. So individuals are actually renting the piece of land for 10 per cent of the value of the piece of land that they're renting. So it's quite an extreme high cost, and many people can't afford it, so people are just...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'm wondering if the Minister could advise me as to the status of land set aside for Indian housing. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

No, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, the YK Dene First Nations are interested in, of course, making all the appropriate applications; the deadline for those are on July 5th. They feel that they want to have a meeting with the Minister, this is scheduled for June 30th because of Session, but the community is asking if the Minister would be prepared to meet with them a couple of days earlier than what it scheduled on June 30th. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would like to thank the Minister for that response. Will the department commit to working in partnership with YKDFN on the development of the skill development in the two communities of Detah and Ndilo?