Madam Chair, for the Hamlets Act, we have formula funding for non-tax-based for hamlets. The capital acquisition is done through our department. We budget for that on behalf of the non-tax-based. With the tax-based, particularly with the Village of Fort Simpson, we also have formula funding arrangements for the tax base for the Village of Fort Simpson. But in terms of their capital acquisition, that's done internally by debentures that they take out. So that is the main distinction between those two. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am not going to spend too much time on this because there are some other issues I would like to bring up. I just want to make that distinction on how that works. Perhaps I could have one more question with regard to this. Would, in fact, the funding available to the Village of Fort Simpson increase if it was a hamlet within this year? Presently they are funded at $890,000. Tuktoyaktuk, as a hamlet, gets a lot more than that. I am just wondering if the funding arrangement would go up for the Village of Fort Simpson if they were to change to a hamlet.

Thank you, Mr Menicoche. Mr. Zoe.

Madam Chair, if I heard the Member correctly, he asked me if their funding would increase or decrease from village status versus hamlet status. If that's the case, it will vary. We have a formula in place. A hamlet is based on a number of factors that is taken into consideration, but on the capital acquisition side, that's done through our department. If you go back to the village status, the funding formula is a little higher, but they also raise their own property tax so they can undertake their own capital acquisitions. So if you create on the capital side, I think it will increase if they are on hamlet status. It's more in control of the department and the municipality. But in terms of the formula funding, it would decrease a little but the support to assist if they were hamlet status would be there because our staff would be assisting them on a regular basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's been an ongoing debate in this House and with this government for many years. I hope we can work towards an amicable long-term solution to the issues that are very important to the residents of Fort Simpson. I will just make note that it will be in the forefront as one of the things that I will represent over the next year and maybe a couple of years if that's what it takes.

The next issue I would like to address to the Minister, Madam Chair, is that Nahanni Butte is in a unique situation in terms of it's one of the only communities not to have a school or gymnasium. That is the direction they are heading in. They are looking at a gymnasium/community hall so they can raise their level of competitiveness when they travel to other communities for sporting events. As well, just to have a central gathering place for community meetings. I did note and did research that it is in the capital plan. It's way down there near the light in the tunnel, but I would like to ask what the process would be to advance something that is now becoming a priority for the community of Nahanni Butte. How can we work together and move a capital item up to say within five years? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, we have a process in place for our five-year capital planning. If the community has prioritized a need as a first priority, our regional staff do meet with the community on a regular basis. If that is communicated to our regional staff, then it can be incorporated into our five-year capital plan for that particular community. The initial request has to come from the community, so we are aware of their priority on the five-year capital plan.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Zoe.

---Laughter

It is definitely Friday afternoon. Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have no further comments at this moment. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I was noting something on page 5 of 6. It's noted that the department will be taking aggressive action. It's talking about transferring Commissioner's land to the municipal government. Of course, in my experience as a sitting councilman previous to this Assembly experience, it seemed to be whenever we needed something, it was like trying to float a lead balloon. We just couldn't get actions in land transfers and it seemed like there were lots of hoops and difficulties. Maybe from a municipal point of view it may seem obvious, but on a territorial perspective there are reasons for those hoops and hurdles and little tricks and some may say snares are out there. I would like to hear more detail on how the Minister foresees this aggressive action that will streamline and improve the process. I would like to hear more on this right now. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am glad the Member asked for more details. These are aggressive steps that I mentioned in my opening remarks. We've taken steps and have established an agreement with Inuvik and are working on one with Norman Wells, and working on agreements with other communities to expedite the transfer of land in fee simple title where land claims have been settled. We have also been undertaking

a comprehensive review of all land-related policies with a view to bringing forward an updated streamlined policy framework. We are waiting for the final consultant's report on that.

I hope the Member can come to our department to see the atlas geographic information system that we have set up already. This system is to provide one accurate, comprehensive land information database and it's an administration tool for all stakeholders. We've also just put forward a proposal to convert an existing lease held by the Housing Corporation to fee simple title in settled land claims areas. We also established a term land specialist position in the South Slave region to work on verifying the accuracy of land files in all regions. We also updated the land administration procedure manual to reflect streamlining practices.

So we have, as I stated in my opening remarks, taken an aggressive action. These are the areas we have done to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. First, let me say that's very positive news to hear those types of revelations are coming forward. If I may compliment first, on the atlas GIS system. I have heard a little more about that and I am going to take the Minister up on his invitation. One of the people working on that happens to be one of my constituents, as well as a former employee of the City of Yellowknife when I used to be a councillor. I knew he was being scooped and moving on to help work on a big, broad-based program that will do a lot for all of us. I am very interested and I appreciate the invitation from the Minister.

Could the Minister explain when this report will come forward so all Regular Members will be able to see the recommendations from that? I want to stress its importance and value. I don't know if all people here recognize that switching from the existing lease to fee simple in settled areas is a significant step for people's lives out there. It creates a lot of surety.

The Minister did refer strictly to settled land claim areas, if I understood him correctly. I can't speak on behalf of Inuvik or Hay River or elsewhere in this particular case, but I can speak for the City of Yellowknife, with my experience, noting that the land claims in our area haven't been concluded. That causes me some small bit of concern because this could mean still many, many years ahead with the City of Yellowknife wanting to access land for further development. I am looking for some type of surety that the streamlining process or the consultant's report may have some indication on how to aid the City of Yellowknife accessing more land for future growth. Can the Minister respond to that? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Madam Chair. First of all, I will answer the question about the consultant's report the Member referred to. We are anticipating that within two or three months, the consultant's report should be within our hands. We can share that with the committee once the final report is received.

With all the streamlining and all the initiatives our department is doing, it is going to benefit the City of Yellowknife to try to fast track the request for Commissioner's land. Besides assisting them to fast track their request for Commissioner's land, we can have similar arrangements as with other communities for the City of Yellowknife but, to date, that request has not come forward from the City of Yellowknife. That offer is there if they are willing to undertake this type of initiative. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Suspecting this problem is not completely unique to the City of Yellowknife, I refer again maybe the community of Hay River, maybe the community of Inuvik, et cetera, have had the same problem. Is the Department of MACA working with MAA, as well as the tripartite agreements such as aboriginal groups, in identifying some of the potential future lands they will be claiming or wishing to claim so that we can move forward on the municipal concerns of acquisition of lands? Any agreement from this report? Do you suspect the report will be highlighting anything of that nature? Not that long ago, the City of Yellowknife wanted to move forward on an acquisition from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. After the application was made, it was only later identified as a land that was requested.

So this has caused some confusion both for the City of Yellowknife and it does cause some confusion for the aboriginal groups that want this land. I think this would clear up which land is available, which land isn't available, working with MAA and the specific aboriginal groups in the area. Therefore, everyone gets what they want, we know what's on the table and we can work forward together as a seamless process. Can the Minister comment on any of that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Zoe.

Madam Chair, our department is working very closely with the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs pertaining to the issues you were just raising with regard to land acquisition, particularly Commissioner's land. The process that we have in place is very simple. Our officials at MACA, city officials and also the Akaitcho Territory officials, particularly the Yellowknives First Nation are, on a regular basis, meeting and discussing the issues pertaining to land. The agreement that is in place now is supposed to be a schedule C attached to it, but, unfortunately, that particular schedule G, which would identify the areas that the First Nations want versus which areas that the city wants has now been concluded. Currently, the First Nations and the City of Yellowknife and my department officials are currently talking and trying to resolve that whole issue today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Next on the list for general comments is Mr. Villeneuve.