Debates of February 9, 2005 (day 32)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to follow through with the Honourable Michael McLeod on some land issue questions as the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. In our discussion earlier in question period, Mr. Speaker, the Minister mentioned the Interim Measures Agreement as the protocol that we have regarding our government’s management of Commissioner’s land and the interests of municipalities or others and aboriginal governments. In the city of Yellowknife, we went through last year quite an interesting exercise, thankfully one that had a good outcome, with the Con Camp area and the disposition of that land, and the Interim Measures Agreement, Mr. Speaker, factored very heavily into that whole situation.

I wanted to ask, Mr. Speaker, at present are there any land applications by the City of Yellowknife that are before us and that are now engaged in that IMA consultation process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, there is an application before us and has been before us for awhile now by the city for some land in the Kam Lake area that has gone through the Interim Measures Agreement process. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of the protocol and exercising this Interim Measures Agreement, is it working out to everyone’s satisfaction? Are we able to see through this clear management of the handing over of land to communities? Is this agreement working the way it should? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Mr. Speaker, the Interim Measures Agreement will only work if everyone agrees to make their best effort to deal with the issues and follow the criteria that’s set out. We have a number of issues that have come forward in the city of Yellowknife. We have met with the Yellowknives on a number of occasions. The Akaitcho Tribal Council has also been consulted and we have talked to them. We are trying to work out a process. We have a signed agreement with the Yellowknives Dene to start looking at areas that we could consider opening up. Last week we met with the City of Yellowknife. The Yellowknives were also there. We have reviewed all the different development plans that are being considered, the city, the Yellowknives, Dene, the Department of Transportation and the government initiatives. We are trying to work out a collective process that everyone would be satisfied with. There is consultation and hopefully that’s going to be something we have in the next little while. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly the Minister is right; these are agreements based on goodwill and intention on everyone to move them forward, but things happen and interest can change from time to time. Right now, Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that if someone wanted to build a house or develop something, there is no publicly owned land that you could purchase in the city of Yellowknife. Our situation is that dire and we are extremely dependent on this process to get land available for the growth the city faces. Does this agreement prescribe clear, well-defined time frames by which decisions will be made and a process will be moving along? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Mr. Speaker, these comments about lands available for public lands is not something I can answer at this point. I believe all the lands have been made available for private developers in the city of Yellowknife. The system we have in place allows for the consultation of all the groups involved. How long the system will be in place will depend on the negotiations that are happening with the aboriginal governments. I don’t have a time frame as to how long that will be. Right now, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is obligated to follow the Interim Measures Agreement as it's laid out and has been agreed to by this government and the Akaitcho and that’s what we are doing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The time for question period has expired, although I will allow Mr. Braden his final supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I would like to underscore for the Minister and get his response, if he cares to, on the issue of the lack of land, as I am told no publicly available land. How can developers make decisions? We are quickly coming up to the spring and summer construction season. If we don’t know whether or not we can get land in a certain time frame, how can these decisions be made? This is the crunch that the City of Yellowknife and developers are facing in Yellowknife right now, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 353-15(3): Interim Measures Agreement For Land Development

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is an issue. We have talked about it. It’s certainly a concern with our department, the City of Yellowknife and the residents of this community. At our last meeting, we were informed by the mayor of Yellowknife that there is a plan for land acquisition being brought forward. It has received second reading. We have not received that at this point and that’s an issue that we will deal with when it comes forward. We are working with the aboriginal groups, the aboriginal governments, to put together a system that will allow us to move lands and allow us to deal with land applications. We need to have the Akaitcho onside. We need to have the city onside and we are looking at some resolutions to this whole issue of availability of lands in Yellowknife. So it’s something that’s ongoing. We are working with it. We have agreed to have a series of meetings. The Yellowknives and city have agreed to meet on their own. We are also meeting and talking to them and are trying to rectify this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.