Thank you, Mr. Hagen. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Yes, I appreciate the Minister's comments and the deputy minister's, as well. Before devolution, it was one department. Now it is split between two, and I do not think necessarily that there are any complications, but we might get some more efficiencies if it was brought back under one roof. I appreciate that they are going to look at that. Hopefully, they can come back to the Regular Members and let us know what they found. Is that something the Minister can commit to do? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Sebert.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Certainly, I can commit to that. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Sebert. Committee, we do have two more names on the list. I am not sure of any others, but, as notified, supper is ready, so we will take a short recess and wrap up afterwards. Thank you.

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I would like to call the committee back to order. Next on our list, we have Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Under operations, I think this is where we can talk about unauthorized occupiers, and I just want to get some clarification from the department as to what constitutes an unauthorized occupier. Maybe just a brief description of what an unauthorized occupier is? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Sebert.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, to state the obvious, an unauthorized occupant is someone who puts up a permanent structure and occupies land without a lease or without a legal right to occupy the land. That has been an issue in the Northwest Territories for some time. Our estimate is that there are about 715 structures on public land that do not have any tenure, that is to say, no lease or other legal right, and about two thirds to three quarters of those are in the Yellowknife area. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If somebody was to want to skirt being considered an unauthorized occupier, they would, then, I guess, go with something that would be not considered a permanent structure. Is this a case where we have people with wall tents and what have you that are arguably maybe not permanent but semi-permanent, and those also seem to be what are often referred to by some as being squatters? Does the department take in complaints relevant to those types of occupiers, and are we managing them in any way? Are we leaving posts or messages at these sites as well? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Minister Sebert.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Perhaps I could defer that question to Mr. Hagen. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Sebert. Mr. Hagen.

Thank you, Mr. Hagen. Mr. Vanthuyne.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you for some clarification. I am going to assume that maybe the same thing, then, applies to the use of campers and the like that find their way into roadside turn-offs and what have you that are not necessarily territorial parks. I am thinking of the Ingraham Trail that is in my riding where, on occasion, there are going to be people who have just found space, and they have basically set up what appears to be a non-permanent structure. Are we addressing that in the same way that we would as it relates to an unauthorized occupier? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Mr. Hagen.

Thank you, Mr. Hagen. Mr. Vanthuyne.

So just lastly, Mr. Chair: does the department feel, then, that there's some need to maybe revisit the definition of permanent structure or find a way in which we can address it? I mean, the point I'm trying to get at here is that this is an ongoing concern as it relates to wall tents, trailers, mobile units that are starting on encroach on Commissioner's lands, NWT lands. Albeit, they're not, maybe, permanent structures, but we have to have a way in which we monitor these activities. Other people are doing the right thing in paying leases and/or fee simple title. I mean, it just appears on every level that others are getting away with having some degree of residency without having to be under the same rules. So is there a way in which the department is going to take steps to address these issues? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Mr. Hagen.

Thank you, Mr. Hagen. Mr. Vanthuyne.