Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government's response to Motion 7719(2) that effective immediately that the GNWT will pause collection actions on any outstanding arrears for lease fees from Indigenous recreational leaseholders; however, on August 2023, the department states Indigenous people may be eligible to and need to contact ECC to confirm eligibility. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of ECE. Are collections actions paused on Indigenous people with recreational leases with asserted or established rights areas? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The department is committed to pausing collection actions for Indigenous leaseholders with lease fees that are in arrears.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I believe I heard that the collections are paused on Members on leaseholders with leases that are in arrears. Will the Minister immediately pause collections on all Indigenous people's recreational leases as stated in the response?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, at this time there is a pause on lease fees for Indigenous leaseholders as we work forward with the Indigenous governments on a process to determine how we can collaborate and come up with a better way to address this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of ECC. And, please, direct your comments to me, not the colleagues across the other side. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me has the department reached out to the Indigenous governments and what extent has that conversation taken place?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the department has been collaborating with the Indigenous governments. There were bilateral meetings in June of 2023 regarding the Indigenous leaseholders' cabins, and since that time there's been additional engagements to have conversations around working toward a longterm approach of how we can deal with this issue. The Indigenous governments have identified over 700 structures that belong to Indigenous people and cabins, and we are currently, as a department, working with the Indigenous governments to ensure that we can verify collaboratively with them that we are engaging with all of the Indigenous leaseholders to ensure that we're not moving forward and posting on Indigenous cabins. There's also some collaborative meetings scheduled for March of 2024. Invitations have been sent to all of the Indigenous governments to come to two sessions. One will be held in Inuvik, and one will be held in Hay River to discuss the lease process and how we can work toward a solution. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of ECC. Final supplementary. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm encouraged by the Minister's comments that they are working with the Indigenous governments on this. I think given that the fact that, again, this House where, you know, we're committed to working closer with our Indigenous governments, with our partners, and my question is would the Minister entertain, then, axing the lease costs for any Indigenous cabin in an established rights area? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you for the question. The Department of Environment and Climate Change is working closely with the Indigenous governments and the Indigenous organizations in a collaborative approach to determine what is the best solution to this and how we can resolve this together through collaboration and having discussions and ensuring that it's not solely a Government of the Northwest Territories' decision but it's one that is engaging with the Indigenous governments and the Indigenous organizations to ensure that their feedback is heard and that we're working collaboratively, as you've said, as we move forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of ECC. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
