Joe Handley

Mr. Speaker, if we had a nice big fat bank account, we might consider that as being a good investment. Mr. Speaker, quite frankly, we don’t have the resources to be able to buy into this multi-billion dollar project. Mr. Speaker, our position has been to support the Aboriginal Pipeline Group and others in the North to get an ownership. I hope the federal government, if they are considering an equity position, that they consider doing that on behalf of people in the North. The Aboriginal Pipeline Group, to me, would be the logical choice at this point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me say we have gone, again, a long way to saying to the federal government and the proponent that we want to be in the room when there are discussions going on, the results of which we may inherit at some point. Mr. Speaker, we were not aware that this meeting was happening, although we knew generally that these kind of discussions would be taking place at some time in the future. But in reference to the meeting that took place, we did not know of that specific meeting, Mr. Speaker. That is of concern to us.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation, over the years, has gone to great expense to try to deliver the housing in a way that is affordable, but is also done so that northern businesses have maximum opportunity to benefit from it. That’s why in some cases we do the supply, ship and erect where it’s all to one person. In some cases, it’s labour only and we supply the material and in other cases, it’s a combination of those.

Mr. Speaker, I am open to looking at how we do this in a way that is going to meet those smaller companies the Member is referring to that can’t compete with the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members have noticed, we have put out notices in the newspapers. It’s also on the community channel, on the green...(inaudible)…we want people to know that if they are building something or they have something out there, they are going to have to show us that they have the right to be there. Mr. Speaker, we have started that.

Mr. Speaker, we will be posting notices on property where we are not able to identify someone with a lease or a title. We have to follow a process in there giving proper notice. Of course, it varies whether we find out who the owner or the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can’t speak for DIAND, for the federal government, but from our government’s perspective, in 2004 we tried to come to an agreement with the Akaitcho at the negotiating table to have a policy that deals with unauthorized use of land. Mr. Speaker, at that time, the proposal we put forward was rejected and we have not taken it back to the table again.

Mr. Speaker, in the meantime, through Municipal and Community Affairs, we continue to work towards a policy for use of land and, as Members may have noticed, there have been ads in the papers this week warning people are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have pretty well everything in place. The only piece of information we don’t have is agreement from the Metis council that in the event we don’t have seniors to occupy the units, that they would agree to have the units occupied either by a single person or by a couple based on a waiting list, Mr. Speaker. So if we get that one piece of information so there is no misunderstanding down the road, and this project is ready to go. As I said, the meeting is being held next week and I don’t see any reason for any delay beyond that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly why we have to conclude a resource revenue sharing deal.

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Mr. Speaker, it is our money that is coming out of here. The federal government has it and now are looking at an equity position with our money. That’s why, Mr. Speaker, short of having a deal, we are sitting here being frustrated because other people are talking about how to spend our money.

Mr. Speaker, I would not want our government to be in a position where it’s competing with the Aboriginal Pipeline Group or aboriginal business or any business in the North. So our first priority, Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our officials have insisted we be there. This one happened, we didn’t know and, as I say, that is of great concern to us. Assuming we have devolution and resource revenue sharing at some point, this is a concern to the people of the North.

Mr. Speaker, in answer to the question, yes, either I will or the Minister of Finance will again say to Ottawa that you can’t just give us lip service on this, you have to follow through and let us know these meetings are there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I haven’t had the opportunity to discuss this at any great extent yet with the president, but I will. I would certainly encourage the company involved to talk to the president and see if there is another creative way of doing this. It may be that there are enough units, for example, in a community that we could look at a different way of doing it where a local established business would be able to put in a reasonable price. Mr. Speaker, I would commit to speaking with the president and ask the company concerned to also do the same. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The short answer is no, this does not affect it at all. The four aboriginal organizations, governments, and our government have signed the deal and I think it sends a strong signal to Ottawa that if we work in solidarity on our positions and we want a share of those resource revenues as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.