Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize three people in the gallery here. Respected elder from Wrigley, Gabe Hardisty, Mr. Nitsiza from Behchoko, Yellowknife, or wherever, colleague and friend, and Ms. Jennifer Williams who I had the opportunity to perform her wedding in Fort Simpson on Mackenzie/Fort Liard River. Thank you.

This will be my final follow-up question. When will the Minister be able to communicate this information to the smaller communities? Because I know bundle number two… Some of the access roads are part of that project. When will that information be communicated to our communities?

Yesterday my colleague from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh asked the Minister of Transportation a question about the second bundle of the Building Canada Plan. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please clarify if the government's approach, the federal government, will be with the second bundle as a package deal or is it broken down project by project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I again thank the Minister for his answer. I am a little confused with the responses that I got in my e-mail and today. It is a little bit different. Can the Minister please provide me with a historical cost to operate all the ferries of the NWT for the past three years including any over time?

Mr. Speaker, today you heard my Member’s statement about the ferry service in Fort Simpson. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transportation did attend a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Fort Simpson regarding this issue on May 12th. I thank him for attending that and speaking on behalf of the government. The next day, on May 13th, I sent the Minister a question and asked has the department done a cost analysis of operating the ferry service for those extra two hours. The response I received today was: “the Department of Transportation acknowledges a question received from the Chamber of Commerce to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, I would like to address a number of things regarding our ferry services at Fort Simpson. First off, I would like to thank the Department of Transportation Fort Simpson's staff, both in the office and out in the field, for the great service they provided. They are very much about serving the people of the NWT and I thank them for this. Mr. Speaker, I continue to fully support the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce's efforts to have the M.V. Lafferty's hours of service extended by two hours every morning. During my election campaign I spoke to a number...

I'd like to thank the Minister for his answer. I guess it's a little different than what I've heard in the past so I'll have to follow up later on. It is my understanding there has been no sales of lands under the type of equity leases that occur in my riding. Now, I've heard that there is an exception to this comment and that Cassidy Point lands which has happened this past sales of the lands, have happened this past year where there's been a historical commitment to provide fee simple title. Can the Minister explain how Cassidy Point land which is an unsettled area can be sold and the same...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today you heard my Member’s statement about a huge concern about land use for small communities on settled claim areas. On March 3rd, 2016, my colleague from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh addressed similar issues. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Lands. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Lands please advise this House what the difference is between a regular lease and an equity lease? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Much to my surprise, the equity lease does not transfer the land fees simple, or the land in simple fees upon the payment of the total rental. To make things even more interesting, the constituent has to sign the new lease, and there isn't any more equity leases. Now so you need to apply for a new lease, which gives this person no equity. This newer lease will be ten per cent of the assessed value each year of the newer lease. In other words, the constituent has to pay the total assessed value of the property every ten years, which has gone up...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and the Minister for his answer. He answered part of it but he didn't answer the second part, but I'll work on that a little bit later on. With the number of outstanding issues with the lands in our small communities, will the Minister make a commitment to have his department get out there and provide the information to the residents especially elders and equity lease owners out in my riding, so they understand the process so they can actually afford to live in our ridings? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.