Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I spoke about establishing a new territorial park near the community of Fort Resolution. I would like to follow up with my questions to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me in general terms what the process for identifying and establishing a new territorial park is? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The most important consideration in establishing a territorial park would be to have community support and the community would identify the area for consideration. On our part, we would then undertake serious consultations with all affected stakeholders and certainly we would review our NWT Parks Act to see which category would best fit to meet the community’s request. We would also have to have Government of the Northwest Territories departments review it. Once we got closer to actual establishment, we would need a park management plan. We would probably need an Order-in-Council to transfer the land. We would design the park and then, of course, we would have to come to seek capital to establish the park. That is one process.
Another process that other regions have used to establish parks are to go through the land claims negotiations process, but from what I understand, the process I described probably is closer to what the community wants to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I believe the initial process will be closer to what the community is looking for. It is more of a campsite, although it is referred to as a territorial park. Can the Minister confirm if there is any funding in place for establishing this type of park in and around the area of Fort Resolution? Thank you.
We would have some funding to do some planning work. I think that once we get closer to something concrete, we would have to identify funds through our capital plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to working with me a little closer and also working with the community to getting the wheels in motion for establishing a park in this new area that I am talking about? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would be pleased to work with the Member and the community of Tu Nedhe towards establishing this park. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Would the Minister also commit to visiting with the community? It is a bit of a controversial issue around the establishment of the park in a different area. Would the Minister agree to meet with me and the leadership and other interest groups to talk about this new proposed site himself in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would be pleased to visit the community with the Member and certainly anything we can do to help to facilitate, we will try to do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
