Louis Sebert

Yes. A large body of work that forms the Department of Lands' core business is geomatics-related and involves mapping and surveying approvals to be appended to leases and related legal agreements and documents, so the geomatics analyst will support self-government implementation by ensuring GIS data and land-tenure records to be transferred are current and reflect a high degree of accuracy. This position will aid in response to additional survey needs and requirements stemming from the transfer of lands, of land related to land resources, and self-government agreements. This work is often time...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand that the mains have been restated to exclude that change.

I'd like to thank all those who asked questions about the Lands Department. I referred to the new Lands Act which will be introduced, I gave notice today, or yesterday. Thank you very much. Today? Was it today? It seems like a long time ago.

---Laughter

Seriously, I do thank all those who are here and have asked interesting questions and who really are interested in improvement. I realize this is a very difficult area, made particularly difficult when you are the proponent as well as the regulator. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Monday, March 11, 2019, I will move that Bill 46, Public Land Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This review of lessons learned or this exercise to examine the Tlicho All-Season Road assessment, we are coordinating, as I say, a GNWT-wide "lessons learned" exercise. That has not yet been completed. If it is and when it is completed, if I have the ability to do so, I will share it with committee. I do appreciate the Member's concern about this whole area, and I did not mean to make light of the fact that we are the proponent and regulator on some projects. It does have its complexities, which I understand. I can't think of a different or better way of being both proponent and regulatory...

Obviously, the lawyers who appear before the courts and the probation officers are well aware of the issues and the necessity, in certain cases, of Gladue principles being brought before the courts. Again, we can always improve, and certainly I could be looking at ways in which our systems could be improved and would be looking at new and innovative manners of proceeding.

Yes. I just want to add that, by our estimate, there are more than 700 structures on public land that do not have tenure. This is a problem throughout the North, and I understand that a pretty high percentage of these structures are actually in the area around Yellowknife. Now, some of these may include cabins that are associated with an assertion of Aboriginal rights.

It is a complex issue, but it is an important issue, because there are, as I say, hundreds of structures. Not all of those are cabins; they may be something less or something more than cabins, but it is an issue that is going to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Section 718.2(e) of the criminal code requires courts in sentencing to consider all available sanctions other than imprisonment and additionally to pay particular attention to the circumstances of Aboriginal offenders.

Now, the Supreme Court, in the case of Gladue from about 20 years ago, directed sentencing judges to undertake the sentencing of Aboriginal offenders individually, but also to consider the unique circumstances by examining some factors, including the unique systemic or background factors, which may have played a part in bringing in the particular...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This is a complex and involved area that has been alluded to by the Member. On the issue of securities, if I might address that, we believe that we have addressed most of the issues identified in the 2012 Auditor General's report on federal mining securities management and programs that transferred to the GNWT with devolution. We are currently completing work on the report's priority recommendation, a securities tracking system to support regular reviews of securities amounts and closure plans for major projects. I see that we are currently holding $644.8 million of land...

I think, Mr. Chair, that we obviously, along with the Member, regard the land use planning as critical and therefore are willing to commit resources to the establishment of a planning office and senior representative. As we have mentioned, the planning process, I think part of it, and I will let Mr. Hagen expand on my answer, is that we feel that it is necessary for someone to go ahead and that that is why we have decided to step up to the plate, but perhaps Mr. Hagen can expand on that answer. Thank you.