Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The primary purpose of this bill is to allow the transfer of documents into the land titles system where these documents are presently filed with a government department administering land, but the documents do not meet the current requirements of the Land Titles Act.

These changes are now essential because of this government's obligation under the Nunavut land claims agreement to transfer most of the land within the built up area of each municipality to the municipality. These transfers are to be subject to the existing interests of third parties and, in fact, much of this land has been leased to residents and businesses in the community. The department administering the lease has allowed those who have had dealings with the lessee, for example, a mortgagee or a person taking an assignment of the lease, to deposit their documents in the government files. Since the land is not within the land titles system, most of these documents were not drafted to comply with the requirements of the Land Titles Act and, therefore, cannot presently be registered.

These amendments to the act would change some of these requirements and add some new options in order to provide a means by which officials of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs may transfer documents on their records to the land titles office without the active participation of the owners of the third-party interests. At the same time, the amendments are drafted to ensure that the priority and validity of each of these interests is maintained and the integrity of the land title system is not compromised.

Those amendments which have been included in the bill but which are not related to the primary purpose of the bill are either technical changes in keeping with developments in the general law in this area or are of a housekeeping nature. A draft of this bill was circulated to those directly affected by the proposed changes. Response has been positive with the only alterations on the draft bill being technical changes to clarify the intent of certain sections. I would be pleased, once again, to respond to questions that Members may have, with the help of my officials. Thank you.