Mr. Speaker, the Commissioner’s Land Act, as it’s being proposed now, I think there has always been regulations in

there to require performance security, but if we’re having to put it into legislation...This is an act that’s going to be going before committee and they will have an opportunity for input before it goes out on the road. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister, for that response, and I appreciate that it’s going to go to committee. I do know that the power is there in the regulations that are there currently, but it’s not being used by the department and that’s a problem. That’s why I think it needs to be put into the act itself. The Minister suggested it’s coming to standing committee and I’d like to know when Members can expect that changes to the act will be brought to the standing committee.

We’re looking for introduction of the bill in the winter of 2009, so the committee should be seeing the amendments and the legislative proposal very soon. Thank you.

I guess I’d like to know if the Minister can advise whether or not, in his opinion or in the opinion of the department, that the power that’s currently in the regulations is sufficient or whether or not the department is going to recommend a change in the word of the act itself to cover off the financial security that’s required for these cleanup costs. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, if it’s found that we need to have these as formal legislation instead of just a regulation, if that is what committee would come back with and that would be their recommendation, then it’s something that the department would have to look at and implement into the actual legislation itself, if it gives the security of knowing that performance security is required on these lands. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Mr. Speaker, it’s nice to know that in our new spirit of cooperation the Minister is actually going to listen to the recommendation of the standing committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I didn’t hear a question there. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA some questions. During the Premier’s recent visit to Fort Simpson, the LKFN raised some land issues and band taxation issues. Subsequently, we received that letter from the Minister of MACA saying that currently, at this time, they won’t be

entertaining any land transfers. I’d like to ask the Minister if he will look at this issue that is of primary importance to the Liidlii Kue First Nations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, again in the spirit of cooperation, we will commit to having a look at this, and it’s something that we have to work with the federal government on at the same time. Thank you.

It almost sounds like a commitment there.

---Laughter

He’s just got to take that next step. Mr. Speaker, I’m glad that he’s willing to look at that and I think that’s exactly what’s needed, is to work with the federal government. I’d like to ask the Minister to help the community organize such a meeting where the federal lands people are at the table along with the GNWT and the Village of Fort Simpson so that they can identify these lands that have issues and direct some action on it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’m getting closer and closer to a commitment here, but I will advise the Member that I will speak to my officials at MACA and have them try and coordinate a meeting with the feds and with the community of Fort Simpson to see what kind of plan they can come up with so we can move forward on this issue. Thank you.

The community will certainly be looking forward to that meeting. In the early ‘80s there was an actual land transfer swap that happened where some band lands were swapped for Commissioner’s land and federal land, only to address this very same situation. That’s the type of resolution we’re looking for. I’d like to ask the Minister if that can be the goal of that meeting. Thank you.

One of the things that we have to have in the whole process here is buy-in from all parties involved so we can move this issue forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

The final issue around this is that there are landowners that are in arrears in taxation because they believe it’s actually band land they’re on. So this is causing quite some stress; they’re getting large taxation bills, collections letters, because of this particular issue.

I’d like to ask the Minister, can he look at these particular instances, look at some type of abeyance or else some type of deferral for these particular residents who are affected? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, this is also something that we would have to raise with the federal government with the taxation issue. These are all issues that we’d have to sit down at the same table and get all these ironed out before we can do anything and have any acceptance of the whole proposal. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Today in my Member’s statement I spoke about the dust problems in Fort Resolution. I’d like to ask the Minister of MACA questions on how we can resolve this problem. Can the Minister commit to having the chipseal project for all of Fort Resolution? I’m not just asking for chipseal on main street; I’m asking for chipseal for the whole town. Can the Minister commit to having that chipseal project costed out in Fort Resolution? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I can commit to the needs of the community, and some the community would have to do it themselves. But I can commit to having our staff work with the community to come up with a plan to implement their chipsealing program, if that’s a decision that the community makes. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I am aware that it is a community responsibility under the New Deal, but I know that this government and the federal government that’s trying to give this government some money wants the money spent. Rather than losing the money being hung up on policy, I’d like the government to see if there are new projects that can be done. I want to know if the Minister can commit to working with the infrastructure Minister and the Minister of Finance to find the necessary funds to chipseal all of Fort Resolution. That’s why I asked my previous questions to see if -- since MACA has the engineers and the community doesn’t -- they can cost it out as well. For this question, I’d like to know if he’s prepared to meet with his colleagues to find the money. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, if MACA can assist the community in coming out and costing the project out, then that’s something that we’d be

willing to do; also, willing to work with the Department of Transportation and Finance. It’s always a goal of this government and MACA to see where we can access extra money. If it’s the wish of the community, if it’s something that they put forward as a priority, then we will see what we can do about accessing some money to move the project ahead. Thank you.