Mr. Speaker, WHEREAS the Territorial Land-Lease Only Policy states that the policy will be in effect in all areas where land, resources, and self-government agreements and treaty land entitlements have not been settled;

AND WHEREAS Indigenous governments have settled land, resources, and self-government agreements with rights to harvest and establish camps;

AND WHEREAS Indigenous people using a cabin for rights-based purposes should be exempt from lease payments for those rights-based cabins and camps;

AND WHEREAS the collection of arrears for rights-based cabins in leases by the Government of the Northwest Territories from Indigenous peoples should be considered an infringement of Indigenous rights;

AND WHEREAS Indigenous leaseholders should be allowed to surrender their leases if they choose so without extra costs or removal of any structures associated with their camps or cabins;

AND WHEREAS Indigenous people should be able to enter into a lease agreement at no cost, if they choose;

AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories management of unauthorized occupants should not impact Indigenous rights.

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, second by the Honourable Member for Yellowknife North, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to forgive and pause the collection of current and new lease payments and fees of all Indigenous cabin leaseholders immediately;

AND FURTHER, the Government of the Northwest Territories complete a review of cabin and recreational leases to ensure that there is no infringement of Indigenous rights through the collection of taxes and fees;

AND FURTHERMORE, the Government of the Northwest Territories develop more consistent land use policies that are representative of completed land, resources, and self-government agreements and ongoing land, resources, and self-government negotiations;

AND FURTHERMORE, the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.