Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's been about six months since the new fiscal year and the budget has been passed. I would like to ask the Minister of Lands some questions about the status of the equity lease issues. Can the Minister advise if the positions have been filled and the location of where the staff is? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can advise that three land specialist positions have been filled or about to be filled, one in Inuvik, one in Fort Simpson starting November 5, 2018, and the third will be starting in North Slave on November 13, 2018. Thank you.
I appreciate the answer from the Minister. Because, if it was passed, it would be five positions, can the Minister advise us when these other positions will be filled and location where these positions are supposed to be located?
The two remaining positions are in Fort Smith. I'm not certain when they will be filled, but we will certainly advise the Member opposite.
I appreciate that from the Minister. I'm hoping these positions can get filled sooner than later. Has the department completed or have they developed a training plan for the staff? Can the Minister advise us of what that training plan is?
Yes, Mr. Speaker, the current lands specialist has been involved in training opportunities to help facilitate the work in the Beaufort-Delta and Sahtu regions, which of course are settled regions. We are going to continue to provide training and support as we move forward. I will again keep the Member advised as to the hires that we are hoping to make and also the training.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I greatly appreciate the Minister's answer and informing us as we move forward.
During the process, we talked about the positions, that you have to be in Fort Smith and doing a training in there. Is this the process for doing the training, or has the department come up with a newer way of doing it? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm not certain as to the exact nature of the training, but we could certainly look into that. As I have mentioned, we have hired somebody in the Inuvik office, and we are starting to deal with the equity leases in that region. Of course, as I have mentioned, there are 245 approximately equity leases to deal with, so there's a large number. Those are private-equity leases. There are similar, as I understand, from the department, leases between departments, but the ones that we are dealing with and we are concerned about are the private-equity leases.
Certainly, there will be training. Each of these or many of these leases do seem to be slightly different and moving forward, will depend on the terms of these leases. I will certainly keep the Member opposite advised as to hires as they take place and also the nature of the training given to these people. Thank you.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
