Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that answer. It was a priority of the 18th Assembly to begin this work and complete a Yellowknife periphery area recreation management plan. Can the Minister update me on what the status of that is?
Rylund Johnson

Roles
In the Legislative Assembly
Elsewhere
Crucial Fact
- His favourite word was know.
Last in the Legislative Assembly October 2023, as MLA for Yellowknife North
Won his last election, in 2019, with 36% of the vote.
Statements in the House
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. If we transfer the land in fee simple, and then it's not complying with a community bylaw, those bylaws still apply, and it's the responsibility of the community to deal with that. This issue of, you know, "If it's there's not financial compliance," but we're actually spending millions of dollars a year trying to get people in compliance, many of whom are Indigenous rights holders. There is a lot of complexity here that I believe the Department of Lands needs to take a better look at.
I would like to move on, though. In my riding of Yellowknife North, we have already started converting a number of leases to fee simples, beginning with Cassidy Point. Is the Minister of Lands willing to continue converting the leases up the Ingraham Trail to fee simple?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. Perhaps I don't understand. Ultimately, if we're going to hand over the land in fee simple, which will have inherently different conditions, it's a different basket of rights than an equity lease. Why does the person have to be compliant before we just give them the land in fee simple?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess this goes back to that issue. I question if there is outstanding money on people's equity leases, and they're not making payments, and we agree that we will eventually give them the land in fee simple. Why are we spending millions of dollars administering this when we could simply just hand over the land? Is the Department of Lands willing to look into cases where there may be outstanding fees? Is the Department of Lands willing to conduct an analysis of whether we're actually spending more money administering equity leases than we are actually owed at the end of the day?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would appreciate having that figure, because I see we're spending millions of dollars every year in equity lease administration, and I'm questioning whether there is actually even that much money owing under the equity leases. Will the Minister commit that, by the end of this Assembly, we will have dealt with the remaining equity leases?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. I'd like to begin with the equity leases. Can the Minister of Lands tell me how many equity leases there are outstanding and the total amount owed on them?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that "yes." I guess my next question is: when can we expect to see the public lands act in force? I am very happy that we are finally getting one type of land, public land, in the Northwest Territories, but when can we see those regulations developed and the public land act in force?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. I do understand that there is a difference between land lease fees and taxation. I guess my concern here is we have the Department of Lands acknowledging that there are rights-based cabins and then continuing to charge those people fees. I really don't think that this is the purview of the Department of Lands. I think this is a matter of Executive and Indigenous Affairs. One of the problems is we have seen land administration continue to be a colonial tool where we enforce these policies without looking at the larger picture, that Indigenous nations are saying, "No, these are rights-based, and we do not have to fall under the control of the Department of Lands." I would like to move on. We will continue this conversation. My question is: is the Minister of Lands willing to review the lease-only policy within municipal boundaries?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. It appears that was a no. I guess my question is: if someone comes forward and identifies a rights-based cabin, we are going to put it aside, but we are going to continue to charge them? I know a number of people have been receiving letters in the territory. Would the Minister be willing to, once something is identified as a rights-based cabin, remove the lease fees related to it?
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters March 5th, 2020
Thank you, Madam Chair. If someone comes forward and identifies that it is a rights-based cabin, do we then not charge them lease fees?