Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions today for the Minister of Lands regarding the transfer of Commissioner's land within municipal boundaries. One of the issues that has ran up is that a number of municipal boundaries are in dispute with land claim negotiations as if the land is claimed by an Aboriginal government, and rightfully so. In the case of the City of Yellowknife's request, can I just confirm with the Minister of Lands whether that includes any of the land in the Akaitcho interim land withdrawal?
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Government of the Northwest Territories is not contemplating transferring any of the lands to the city that are current with withdrawal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I appreciate that answer because I just want to make it clear: when the City of Yellowknife is requesting the municipal lands in their boundary, they are not requesting the land that the Akaitcho is requesting. That is a separate issue that the City of Yellowknife is not requesting that land. My next question is: I am concerned that we underfund our municipalities, and they have been asking for this land. I am concerned that the Department of Lands is then going to make the city pay an arm and a leg for it. My question is for the Minister of Lands: is there an intention to charge the city for this land?
This land has value. However, when we are working with the municipal governments, there is a fee of $1.
Despite the municipal funding gap, I believe they could probably afford $1. My next question is: I believe that there have been some concerns about surveying the land exactly, in that Commissioner's land is in large parcels and is not exactly surveyed into smaller parcels that a city would often use. I was hoping the Minister of Lands could speak to any issues, if any, that require surveying before we could transfer the land to the City of Yellowknife.
When we talk about surveying the land, that actually belongs to the city. That is their responsibility moving forward. It is their responsibility.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I just clarify whether that surveying that is the city's responsibility must take place before we transfer the land, or can we just simply transfer the land and then leave the city's responsibility to survey it and divide it into parcels accordingly up to the city? Is there an order in which surveying has to occur?
I apologize to the Member. Prior to transferring a fee simple title to the city, legal surveys must be done. It is the city's responsibility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
