Debates of October 27, 2004 (day 29)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod. I am just wondering what steps the government is currently taking to address the chronic lack of available land for development in the city of Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 321-15(3): Process To Address Land Shortage In Yellowknife

Mr. Speaker, we have a number of different processes across the NWT for providing additional land to the towns and cities. In the case of Yellowknife, we have not been aware that there has been an application filed for additional land outside of the town boundaries. We have been discussing the issue of some lands reverted back from the mines. We have included the Akaitcho Territory First Nations and the city. We have been having a number of meetings to come to some kind of a long-term plan of how we would arrange for land and also for the First Nations to bring their interests forward and also the city’s, to be able to develop a long-term plan. Right now, we are developing a process. We haven’t finalized an agreement as to how it is going to unfold at this point. We are still in discussions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 321-15(3): Process To Address Land Shortage In Yellowknife

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for your response. The Minister spoke of a process that has been started by his department working with both the aboriginal government, the Akaitcho, and the City of Yellowknife. He says that work has begun on this agreement to set aside some land for development and to try to work together and cooperate on a long-term plan for the city of Yellowknife. I am just wondering when we might expect some dates or some of this work to be concluded and for the City of Yellowknife to have some surety on available land. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 321-15(3): Process To Address Land Shortage In Yellowknife

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Yellowknife area, we, as a department, have to follow a process that is in place, set up, and agreed upon by the Akaitcho Territory and this government through Aboriginal Affairs that spells out an interim measures agreement that we, as MACA, have to follow. In this case, we have had discussions with the Akaitcho First Nations and the city, and we have tentatively agreed that we would work towards developing a process where we wouldn’t run into a roadblock where the city is interested in some lands and the First Nations are also interested, or any of those types of situations. So we are working on a process right now and we are working trying to follow the Interim Measures Agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 321-15(3): Process To Address Land Shortage In Yellowknife

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would agree with the Minister that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs does have a role to play in brokering this arrangement between the aboriginal governments and the City of Yellowknife. I would just like to ask the Minister, is this process going to take two, three, four, or five years? When is it going to be concluded? When you enter into a process like this, it can take some time to get to the end of it. I would like to ask the Minister when that will be concluded. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 321-15(3): Process To Address Land Shortage In Yellowknife

Mr. Speaker, we don’t have an absolute process. We don’t have an agreement signed yet as to how all of this is going to unfold. I have asked both the city and the Akaitcho to try to resolve it in one year. We are trying to set a deadline of one year so that we can have a clear process that everybody will be able to understand and follow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.