Debates of February 27, 2023 (day 141)

Date
February
27
2023
Session
19th Assembly, 2nd Session
Day
141
Members Present
Hon. Diane Archie, Hon. Frederick Blake Jr., Hon. Paulie Chinna, Ms. Cleveland, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Mr. Edjericon, Hon. Julie Green, Mr. Johnson, Ms. Martselos, Ms. Nokleby, Mr. O’Reilly, Ms. Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Rocky Simpson, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Ms. Weyallon Armstrong
Topics
Statements

Question 1392-19(2): Land Lease-only Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was almost four years ago that this House passed the Public Land Act, a landmark piece of our postdevolution work that truly gave a madeintheNorth approach to how we were going to deal with land. And so my question for the Minister of Lands is as we approach that fouryear mark, when are we going to bring that piece of legislation into force? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we started the process, we had to work with IGC in that process there. So we're hoping to have it done by the end of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was hoping the Minister could give us I'm happy, I really want to see the Public Land Act put into force and I know that requires phase one of the regulations. I was hoping the Minister could just update this House a little bit more about what exactly will be brought into force, hopefully by the end of this Assembly, to do that and what has now been put into another Assembly for the rest of the regulations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we're working on trying to get all the regulations done. There's been a process working with IGC, the secretariat as well, and Indigenous governments. We're working with them. In regards to where we are, we are working on I think the last part of it. Again, it's we're trying to do it all and then we're going to take it to the drafting process and that, get it done there. So to give them there's nine regulations there we're working on. We got eight done, and we're working on that. So I will have to get back to the Member on the exact details and timelines on when we expect everything done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope all nine of those regs are done by the end of this Assembly. I think that would be a true step in getting the Department of Lands to start some of their other work.

First amongst that is the Land Leaseonly policy, Mr. Speaker. I know the department has gone out and done a review on the Land Leaseonly policy. I'm wondering if the Minister could update this House on when he expects to see changes to that policy. Thank you.

Short, Mr. Speaker, we're hoping to have it something here in the House by the end of this session. Not this Assembly but the end of this session. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think first in that policy, I and I believe the Minister shares, that people living in communities who've been in a lease for many years would be given the option to own their homes in fee simple. Is that something we can expect to see from the changes to the land leaseonly policy, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't want to, you know, wreck the surprise and say that. But this is part of the conversations that we're having. Again, we have to recognize we have 33 different communities, different organizations like designated authorities, hamlets, and taxbased communities. So we have to look at those as we move forward. So we may or may not be able to do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.