Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.

I am wondering if the Minister will commit to specifically working on the eviction protocols and policies that the LHAs and LHOs currently work with to evict people who are not paying rent or are not meeting tenancy agreements, to see where Health and Social Services can further support LHOs and LHAs to see housing success for the people of the Northwest Territories.

The rental office is a division of the Department of Justice.

I realize that the rental officer is part of Justice, but what I am referring to is: the LHAs and the LHOs go through a methodical process before they evict somebody, and they try their best to provide people with support from their LHOs and LHAs. LHOs and LHAs simply are not mental health counsellors, and they are not addiction counsellors. I am wondering if Health and Social Services will lend some support to the NWT Housing Corporation to see where Health and Social Services can further support them in that process.

The supports are there. They may not be well known, so certainly, I would like the LHAs and the LHOs to be aware of the Community Counselling Program, child and youth care counselling program in their communities so that they can make known to their tenants that these services are available to them and that then, hopefully, the tenants will take that up and will get the assistance they need. The Member may also be referring to housing support workers. I know there was a pilot program in Behchoko where there was somebody who was specifically working with tenants on housing stabilization, and that I think was more of a navigator position. That is really something that my colleague at the NWT Housing Corporation could speak to in more detail.

Thank you, Minister. Colleagues, our time for oral questions has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to Commissioner's address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, reports of standing and special committees. Item 14, tabling of documents. Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table to following document: "Northwest Territories Law Foundation 37^th Annual Report, July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following documents: "Follow-up letter for Oral Question 491-19(2), Fire Services for Ingraham Trail Residents;" and "Follow-up letter for Oral Question 511-19(2), Alternative Voting Methods for Communities." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, motions. Item 17, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act; Committee Report 8-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on Motion 5-19(2): Referral of Point of Privilege Raised by Member for Monfwi on March 10, 2020; Minister's Statement 77-19(2), National Housing Co‐Investment Fund; Tabled Document 165-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 1-19(2), Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 166-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 2-19(2), Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; Tabled Document 167-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 3-19(2), Report on Long-Term Post-Pandemic Recovery - Recommendations to the GNWT; and Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, with the Member for Hay River South in the chair.

I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Ms. Cleveland.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022, for Lands.

Thank you. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. We will take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I now call Committee of the Whole back to order. Committee, we have agreed to consider Tabled Document 286-19(2), Main Estimates 2021-2022. Does the Minister of Lands have any opening remarks?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair. I am here to present the 2021-2022 Main Estimates for the Department of Lands. Overall, the department's estimates propose a decrease of $939,000, or 4 percent, over the Main Estimates 2020-2021. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the Department of Lands while continuing to meet the Government of the Northwest Territories fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Highlights of these proposed estimates include:

• a sunset of $976,000 for the Addressing Equity Lease Initiative;
• a sunset of $453,000 for base funding received at devolution for the compensation and benefits shortfall for transferring federal employees and one Director of Land Administration position which has been double funded since devolution;
• a sunset of $75,000 for the Agricultural Strategy Implementation Initiative;
• additional funds of $309,000 to support implementation of the Unauthorized and Potential Rights-Based Occupancy Initiatives; and
• $253,000 in additional funding to support and staff the Wek'eezhii Land Use Planning Office.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19^th Legislative Assembly by:

• continuing efforts to develop new regulations to bring the Public Land Act into force;
• continuing progress on the equity lease initiative, which includes transferring equity leases into fee simple title in all regions of the Northwest Territories;
• addressing the long-standing issue of unauthorized occupancy and identifying potential 'rights-based' cabins;
• working with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to create a process guide for transferring land within municipal boundaries to community governments, and the Departments of Industry, Tourism and Investment; Environment and Natural Resources; and Health and Social Services to support the development of the food industry; and
• continuing to work with the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs negotiators and external planning partners to advance land use planning in areas that do not currently have plans in place, including Wek'eezhii, Deh Cho, and the southeast NWT.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Does the Minister of Lands wish to bring witnesses into the House?

Yes, I do.

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have with me today Deputy Minister Sylvia Haener and director of finance and administration, Katherine Macdonald. We also have, in the waiting room, the assistant deputy minister of operations, Blair Chapman. We will be swapping him out with our deputy minister when it comes to operations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. The committee has agreed to forego general comments. Does the committee agree to proceed to the detail contained in the tabled document?