Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just on this motion, as the Government of the Northwest Territories, we’ve said on a number of occasions that nothing we can do could take away from the established land claims authorities that are there that are constitutionally protected in this country. We’ve said that and have that in some of our legislation, as pointed out. Those pieces of legislation that are included are, in fact, ones that are much larger, that effect direct impact on some of the co-management areas. The Member has raised the Wildlife Act, for example, because it directly involves a relationship with the land claims groups and Aboriginal governments. We need to be very clear on that.

There were a couple of points, just for the record, because there were a couple of points that were raised that need to be clarified for the record, so we don’t have this as down in history of that point being specific.

For example, Indian Affairs branch land, I believe it’s called, or IAB. When the transfers occur from the federal government, they don’t come and tell us and consult with us and negotiate with us. They transfer. They have an Order-in-Council and they transfer and we end up picking up some of those pieces, whether it’s the Housing Corp or other areas in the community. The times we get involved are when we work with the bands to possibly look at land exchanges within community boundaries. So for that, I know the Minister said he would get additional information on that, but just so we get it on record.

The other piece is land claim selection. Now, when land claims were negotiated and land selected within communities, those were treated in the sense that when an Aboriginal group -- and we have examples of those -- selected within community boundaries, the lands they selected were treated as any property owner in a community. Dollars were exchanged for that property and treated fee simple, I guess is the word to use, which then in community planning and development, the community would have to approach the land owners in the community about certain developments. So there is the right

and the role of a land owner in a community to deal with the community development that is being proposed or asked about. That community council/government, would have to take that into consideration.

So I wanted, for the record, to point that out. Yes, there are land selections, but when they made land selections in the community, there was an exchange of value as the claim was settled and the federal government exchanged cash for property that was provided to the Aboriginal group as part of their selection. But then that property in the community became, as a taxpaying community, part of fee simple ownership and their right to go to a community council/government and say we disagree with certain developments in this area. So that exists. I think that is why the approach was initially by the department to say it applies. Those rights are already established as fee simple title holders in our communities.

On top of that, overall as a government we clearly state that nothing we can do as the Government of the Northwest Territories can take away from. The other side is we have to be cautious to ensure that at the same time we are not, through an act of the Legislative Assembly, giving more powers or more authority than was negotiated in the land claims. So we have to be careful on that side of it too. That is why there was some caution raised at the stage as it was.

We hear, and I’ve heard from Members, about the inconsistencies, and I think that goes from the fact that some of our earlier pieces of legislation that were put in place when we first signed some of these agreements was we found examples of where there were inconsistencies of application. Quite clearly now, we’ve gone through this a number of times and as more claims are settled, we are updating our claims or legislation to recognize the rights that are established and constitutionally protected.

So I just wanted, for the record, Mr. Chairman, to put that forward. Thank you.

As I was saying in my earlier response, work with the city is going to have to be undertaken to see where they are on this file and how they would see, looking at other options, how they could deal with that.

Clearly, as we’ve just dealt with one emergency, for example, in Norman Wells and the natural gas situation and we heard Mr. Yakeleya stand up and tell us that we shouldn’t have made them go back to their coffers and the taxpayers within that community, but our policy applied and that’s the way we had to look at it.

So we have to work with the city on this and we would look at that communications, opening up communications with the city to see what they would be prepared to do to try to help alleviate the situation. Thank you.

I’m glad the Member has highlighted working with other levels of government. Clearly, in this case, the work by the City of Yellowknife needs to be front and centre on this, and we, again, believe all groups are supportive of the initial package that went in, and continue to pursue that. Realizing that there has been a delay in the response coming from the federal government, we will need to step up that side of it. I know that we will take our next opportunity to address some of this with the representative for the federal government in the northern development area to see what they can do following up and continuing our support.

Aside from that, we are hoping to sit down with the city to see what they would do in stepping up to deal with this issue, but clearly we have processes in place ourselves as the Government of the Northwest Territories. For example, if it’s capital funding, we would have to work with our plans going in. So to say within six weeks we can come up with a solution is quite difficult.

Clearly, this is a municipal concern. The issue of a corporation is one of those areas that hamper this. So we thought we had found a solution through the joint support to the federal government. We will continue to put the pressure we can on that side of it. I know we continue to watch as this goes on. Cleary, if there’s more to be done, we would need to know where the city is in this initiative as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The work that we have done in support of the Northland community can be said. We continue to support them. In fact, our Minister has sent correspondence in supporting that work and supporting the Municipal Infrastructure Fund through the federal government to the City of Yellowknife, for example, to help with this project. The last communications letter was sent July 18

,

and we continue to try to pursue this as looking for one of the pockets of funding through the federal government to flow some of those dollars that are much needed to help with those repairs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s not too often we get to recognize constituents from our communities. I’d like to recognize Arlene Hansen. And we can say this time there will be an election in Inuvik Boot Lake.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Ms. Bisaro on May 19, 2011, regarding NWT SPCA fundraising for new animal shelter.

While there is funding available to the SPCA to assist with volunteer development -- refer to MACA’s Volunteer Development Coordination Policy at www.maca.gov.nt.ca -- no department in the GNWT has funding available to assist non-profit organizations with building construction costs.

I’m pleased to note that recent media stories have reported on this non-profit’s progress at obtaining land from the City of Yellowknife for a new shelter. In addition, media stories have reported that the NWT SPCA has been awarded $300,000 from the Aviva Community Fund and will obtain this funding once they have secured land for the shelter. It is encouraging to see this volunteer organization’s

success at undertaking fundraising efforts to support its operation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Yakeleya on May 13, 2011, regarding declaring the residence of Bern Will Brown as a Canadian historic site.

I have been informed that Mr. Brown’s log buildings are not old enough to meet the criteria for commemoration by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, but as this is a federal program managed by Parks Canada, Mr. Brown may wish to contact the Parks Canada in Inuvik, 867-777-8825, for further details.

I also want to suggest that the log buildings best chance for historical commemoration might be for Mr. Brown to approach the Behdzi Adha First Nation Band Council -- hope I said that right. In their role as designated municipal authority, they can issue a band council resolution designating the log buildings a local heritage resource. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mrs. Groenewegen on May 13, 2011, concerning consent form policy regarding MLA requests for information for constituents.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act provides that a government office or public body may disclose personal information to a Member of the Legislative Assembly who has been requested by the individual to whom the information relates to assist in resolving a problem. The discretion to disclose rests with the public body, and the practice has been where the request is relatively straightforward, the information can typically be disclosed to the MLA. But when dealing with requests of a particularly sensitive nature such as personal information pertaining to medical, financial or legal matters, public bodies may elect to seek the written consent of the individual concerned before releasing the information to the MLA.

This practice is consistent with the ATIPP Policy and Guideline Manual first drafted in 1996 and made available to all access coordinators across government. The Minister of Justice has agreed to bring this issue to the interdepartmental Access and

Privacy Administration Committee to review the existing guidelines and practices to ensure the GNWT procedures and practices are helpful to NWT people, while also meeting our requirement to demonstrate due diligence in safeguarding personal information. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Bob McLeod will be leaving the House later today and will be absent for the remainder of the week to chair the Pacific Northwest Economic Region meetings in Yellowknife.