Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT has an abundance of many things, one of which is land. What we don’t have is an abundance of affordable lots to build houses on, Mr. Speaker. I would like to discuss an issue with regard to the City of Yellowknife’s application for land and the process involved.

The City of Yellowknife applied for a transfer in February 2006, for six parcels of land, and all the land, with the exception of two properties, have been transferred. A year or more later, Mr. Speaker, in 2007, the city’s land application was returned, with MACA saying that they do not agree with the scope of the request. Therefore, revise it and then maybe we will look at it again. Well, the city prefers not to revise their application and remove the parcels that MACA doesn’t want to consider. The city would rather have this, Mr. Speaker. They want a fair, open process, something that is transparent where they can hear from any third party regarding their interest on this land that the city wishes to seek for disposition. So what land, we may ask? Well, Mr. Speaker, the areas of concern are Tin Can Hill, Yellowknife golf course, Grace Lake, northeast end of the city and even Pilot’s Monument. MACA is saying they cannot circulate the city’s application because they can’t offer the land. That is, they are saying it is not theirs to sell. The city is of the opinion that the decision should be made after consultation. So, Mr. Speaker, where is the fair public process? Certainly it is not in this situation.

Secondly, in February 2007, the city expressed interest in reviewing options for purchasing the Con and Rycon trailer courts. In July of the same year, the city passed a motion to acquire the common areas of the trailer courts and recommended that MACA should offer fee-simple titles directly to the existing lease holders. Mr. Speaker, MACA responded that they would be required to consult again through the IMA on the disposition of lands to the residents and the city. So the city has requested they proceed so the title transfer can occur by early 2008. Mr. Speaker, this is twice that the IMA process is being invoked. It seems like an unfair hurdle that the city is being put through this process twice.

Mr. Speaker, one of the priorities of AOC was to see the improvement of land transfer and to expedite the land transfer process. The Housing Corporation received more positions and so did MACA, but what are they doing? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister later today. How do we get rid of the red tape and start transferring lots so we can build houses? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause