Debates of Feb. 23rd, 2017

This is page numbers 1951 – 2010 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Update On Early Childhood Development Plan: Education, Culture And Employment Milestone Statement

Enbridge Pipeline Erosion Control Measures

Support For Terrax Minerals Inc.

Improving Consumer Protection

Hay River Rental Accommodation Challenges

Benefits Of Public Service Growth In The Sahtu Region

Yellowknife Rental Accommodation Costs

Resident Mental Health Worker For Tsiigehtchic

Sugar Tax Best Practices

Modern Treaty Implementation

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Emergency Situation Communication Protocols

Yellowknife And Peripheral Area Land Use Management Plan

GNWT Land Use Monitoring Capacity

Sugar Tax Best Practices

Improving Consumer Protection

Rental Office Workload Challenges

Rental Accommodation Subsidies

Land Lease Assessments

Residential Mental Health Worker For Tsiigehtchic

Social Housing Policy Adjustments

Written Question 21-18(2): Complaints Of Sexual Assault Classified By RCMP As Unfounded

Tabled Document 302-18(2): Workers’ Safety And Compensation Commission 2015-2017 Strategic Plan

Extended Adjournment Of The House To February 28, 2017

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matter

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Operations Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For Lands

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Justice, Deferral Of Community Justice And Policing Activity

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 63-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Department Of Lands, Deferral Of Operations Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matter

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to ask the Minister or the department if the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act has ever been amended since 1996? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

Again, I don't have access to that information in front of me, but I imagine it was amended as all acts generally are. It was probably amended around the time of devolution, I would guess, but again, I can't speak with certainty --

Hagen

I can answer that.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

-- but someone else apparently can. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Hagen.

Hagen

There have been very few amendments under the MVRMA in 21 years. It started off with the Gwich'in land claim agreement, that's where it came out of; it was born out of there, and then the Sahtu, they had to make some amendments to accommodate the Sahtu claim, and then the Tlicho.

If you recall the huge confrontation about bringing all the regional land and water boards into one board, making what people call a super board, we never use that term. The government of the day, the Harper government, did pass some legislation to create one board, and that was challenged. In that process also, the land and water boards put through a wish list of amendments that they were looking for for years, and that was put forth also at the same time.

Fortunately or unfortunately, however you look at it, the Tlicho government took the federal government to court and it stopped all the amendments and now their territorial government is involved in trying to undo that with the feds, to reinstate the regional boards. When that is accomplished, the Tlicho will drop their court action and those amendments that were put forth that are on hold because of court action will go forward. We're told with hopefully a few more that we'd like to see. The territorial government has taken a big role in that thanks to the Premier in discussion with the Minister of INAC, and the ADM from Lands, Kate Hearn, is the lead for the territorial government on the negotiations going forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Hagen. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I'd like to thank the deputy for that response.

Mr. Chairman, I have a question for the Minister. Can the Minister tell me if the land use plans have to be in place and approved in accordance with the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act prior to its final settlement with the outstanding land rights groups? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Minister has indicated that Mr. Hagen will be answering this.

Hagen

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't want to say it's a difficult question but it comes with some moving parts. A land use plan has always come out of a land claim agreement; again, the Gwich'in, the Sahtu, the Tlicho, they all settled their claims first and then they went and developed land use with themselves. Of course, the federal government, and the territory, there are three signatories.

The Dehcho process, which is ongoing, decided that they wanted to try to get a land use plan simultaneously or even before their land claim agreement was in place. The land use plan is now in draft form and there are only four major items that are holding it up. It's at the main table. If they got over those four items they would have a land use plan ready to be approved by three bodies before their claim is settled.

The messaging there actually, to me, is great because it then gives a lot of certainty to all land users, in particular developers, a certainty that they know what's open for development and what is not open for development.

So the Wek'eezhii Land Use Plan is the next one. Again, that was done differently. They decided in the other claim areas -- the two claim areas -- they decided they were going to do a land use plan for the whole region, including their private lands. The Tlicho decided they were going to do a land use plan themselves just for their private lands, and now we're going into a land use plan for the Crown lands or territorial lands. So that's why it's a lot of moving parts.

Whether we can now get that into the MVRMA is what's open for discussion, or some other method that Mr. O'Reilly had mentioned. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Hagen. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks again to the deputy. I have another question: I wonder if the Minister can give us the same type of detail that we've just heard on the Akaitcho land use plan? Thank you.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

No, I can't.

---Laughter

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I didn't think it was appropriate for me to ask the deputy. I wonder if the deputy minister can give us the same type of detailed response on the land use plans for the Akaitcho land use plan. Thank you

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The Minister has indicated that Mr. Hagen will answer this. Mr. Hagen.

Hagen

I did discuss the Wek'eezhii plan with Mr. O'Reilly's questions and also actually my explanation that you asked for included the Wek'eezhii plan. They have a land use plan; the Tlicho government have it on their private lands. They're the first to do it that way instead of doing it for the whole Tlicho region. We are now in the process of moving forward on a land use plan for territorial lands. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Hagen. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. With all the laughter, I think the deputy minister didn't hear the question; I was asking about Akaitcho. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Deputy minister.

Louis Sebert Thebacha

He was talking about the Akaitcho process.

February 23rd, 2017

Hagen

Oh, I apologize. Akaitcho. The Akaitcho region, we have approached them at times and had some dialogue but they have no interest in having a land use plan proceeding until they settle their land claim agreement, as is the Metis, Northwest Territorial Metis, have no desire to have a land use plan starting until they settle their claim. My apologies; I thought you said the Tlicho. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Beaulieu.

Debates of Feb. 23rd, 2017

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