Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister. I hope by final product he means a report and not implementation, but I will come back to that.

One of the things that was glaring and obvious in the meeting that I was at, is that there has to date been no formal consultation with First Nations, the Yellowknives Dene whose traditional lands this area sits within. There has been no direct consultation with the users of the area, whether they be current leaseholders or day-use users. I would like to know from the Minister whether or not that specific consultation will be done. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would first off like to recognize a hardworking Page from the riding of Frame Lake, Brenda Joyce-Hotte, who has been working with us all week. I believe she will be back next week to work hard for us again.

I would also like to recognize the members of the Homelessness Coalition who are with us, particularly Mayor Van Tighem, my mayor and also the president of the NWT Association of Communities; Lyda Fuller and Kate Wilson with the YWCA; Dayle Hernblad, who is the city’s homelessness coordinator; and last but not least, Amanda Mallon, who is a Homelessness...

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. It was the mental health review, I believe. Did you wish to comment on that? I believe the last one was a mental health review. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the last 20 years or more, Yellowknife residents have been unable to lease land for a cabin or a campsite of their own. Some people have taken matters into their own hands and are now firmly established in the area as squatters. Our Department of Municipal and Community Affairs started to take action to deal with squatters a few years ago. In 2009 MACA placed a moratorium on recreational land leases and began work to develop a recreational Land Lease Policy framework. A consultant was contacted to study the areas around Yellowknife and Inuvik in particular and to...

Thank you. That didn’t really go very far to answering my question about what kind of activities have been in the works, but I’ll wait anxiously for the updated report.

From my information, MACA’s volunteer budget this year is some $263,000, and that, I understand, goes to staffing and management of the two programs that I mentioned, but only $70,000 of that $263,000 goes to the actual programs. It would seem to me that it would be possible for the department to re-profile $50,000 out of that $263,000 so that we could have a Volunteer NWT back in business. I’d like to ask the Minister whether...

I will now rise and report progress. Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort our witnesses from the Chamber? Thank you.

Here in the NWT we also provide money for training purposes. What is missing is the core funding which would allow for enhanced training and centralized help for volunteers. Our hundreds of volunteers deserve the financial commitment to match our verbal commitment. I expect MACA’s 2012-2013 business plan to include core funding for Volunteer NWT to show our commitment.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The motion is in order. Motion is on the floor. Motion is in order. It’s just being distributed. We will wait a moment until people can see it.

Members, everybody has the motion, I believe. To the motion.