This is page numbers 2083 - 2120 of the Hansard for the 19th 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 health.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Those six positions were our equity lease positions that were sunsetted. Those positions were removed from our budget. However, just so the Members are aware, none of the people that had those positions lost any jobs. We were able to find positions within our organization to keep them at work. It was in equity leases, and it was just, like I said, sunsetted. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Minister said that it was within his own department that those people were reallocated, but is there any move to move some of these other positions out of headquarters or to get more positions into regional offices? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you. Right now, we haven't looked at that. To be honest, we have a number of projects on the go that we have developed teams. Whether it's regional or headquarters that are working on teams, we need to get that job done, and then we will look if there is that opportunity. Right now, we are not looking at it. We just need to get the work done that we have committed to do in this 19th Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I look at the item for program management and administration under regional operations, there is an increase of $300,000, over $300,000. Could the Minister maybe explain why that's increasing? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you. Basically, that there is from our unauthorized occupancy that we are dealing with. That's the money that we are doing. For clarity, I will turn to the deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister.

Haener

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Those additional funds are largely for contract services to perform removals of unauthorized occupants. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Not to wade into a super controversial area right now, but could the Minister or the department explain: do they anticipate an escalation in this situation? I'm starting to see in social media, et cetera, where some of the Indigenous organizations and others are looking to advocate on behalf of their members for some of these scenarios. I'm just concerned about whether we are going to see this get a little bit hairier over the next while. Maybe not a budget question, but perhaps the Minister can shed some light on that. Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Interesting question. Minister.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes. We are working with our Indigenous governments. We are trying to get them to identify the rights-based cabins. We are trying to work with them. We have had some contracts with Indigenous governments who have given us their lists. As we tried to explain to people, whether it's been to Indigenous governments, or I have been on a constituent tour, if you are posted, it explains exactly what you should do. You can either reach out to a regional office or reach out to our IGO, your Indigenous government, identify it as rights-based cabins, and then we put it over to the side. What we are trying to deal with is people who do not have authorization to be on the land. For further clarity, I would ask you to reach out to the deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister.

Haener

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At the risk of sharing information that I haven't yet shared with my Minister, just an update as of today, because as the Members are aware, we have started posting in the North Slave area. Just in the last day or so, we actually received two designation forms from individuals who were indicating that they were occupying potential rights-based cabins. The process that we have laid out, people are aware of, and they are utilizing it, we believe, and we are continuing to communicate quite extensively around this and, as the Minister indicated, to engage with Indigenous governments and organizations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that, and I do just want to clarify that I don't I think you're running out there and taking people's cabins that you shouldn't be. It's just that we all know how things can be perceived, and I did receive some messages of, "Oh, no. What is this going to mean?" Is there an appeal process in place? I know that sometimes, in small communities, there are small community politics at times, and I am just curious to know if there is a mechanism for people who might be looking to declare themselves to be a rights-based cabin and then, perhaps, not have an agreement from the local organization, that they can then, perhaps, appeal that. Is that even a concern, really? Do we think that's going to happen? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

From my understanding, we work with our Indigenous governments to identify rights-based cabins. We have heard some challenges, that people may want to assert their rights-based cabins but that it's not their traditional territory. That could be some of the challenge that we face. However, if it's rights-based cabins and we are able to deal with it, we are putting it to the side; we are not dealing with that issue right now. We want to deal with the people who are squatters, I guess is the best way to say it, people who are not supposed to be there. That is what our priority is. It has been 50 years without it being addressed, so now we are moving forward.

We do have an appeal process to go through unauthorized occupancy. We do have lawyers. There is a process that we need to follow. Just so everybody is aware, whatever process we start is how we are going to finish. We are not going to be changing things. We want to be very consistent in our messaging and how we deal with matters because, if we do not, that is when we get ourselves into trouble. There will not be one-offs, a Minister's discretion. It will be done properly, and I just wanted to make sure the staff was aware of that and the public is aware of it. We are working to make sure it's done right. There are not going to be one-off exemptions. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Yellowknife North.

Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank, Mr. Chair. Can I get a sense of how many notices for unauthorized occupancy went out in the North Slave? Thank you.

The Chair

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

For that detail, I will turn to the deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair.