Louis Sebert

As I have mentioned, a prerequisite to the transfers which have been spoken of by the Member opposite was the community plan. That was required before we moved to this next step. We are now moving to that next step, and there will be a staged approach so that the land that we are planning to turn over will be turned over to the Hamlet of Enterprise.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been meetings, of course, between Lands staff, and I know at least one of our senior people has been over there many times to meet with the community. They have been attempting to arrange some other meetings, and I understand that it has been somewhat difficult to arrange a firm date, but hopefully dates can be arranged in the future.

The Member will know that one of the prerequisites to turning over the land was the community plan that was worked on and has now been approved by MACA, so hopefully we're going to be moving ahead in a staged process to...

This might be an issue that the transition committee might look into because I don't think anything could be done in the very near future. Certainly, I am willing to look into this issue. Again, as I have said numerous times before, increase in cost would have to go through the budgetary process, but I am willing to look seriously at this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I guess I am part of the problem in this area because, as the Member across has mentioned, there is a problem. There were more lawyers, I think, in the smaller towns up here several years ago, active lawyers doing general practice, than there are now. Certainly, I am willing to look at this issue. Of course, adding a clinic or additional lawyers would involve additional expense, so we would have to proceed through the budgetary process. I am aware of the problem and am concerned and willing to look at it.

I can't commit to adding a second lawyer, as any additional resources would have to proceed through the budgetary process, but certainly we do want to look at the level of activity in the office. I am open to considering issues that, if the office is overworked or there is too much work, we may have to add staff. I will be open to that discussion, but again, it has to go through the budgetary process. Thank you.

There is no dedicated Facebook page at present, and, although that has been discussed by the department and communication staff, it's not an option immediately available. However, the outreach clinic will advertise on the GNWT Facebook page instead. In some ways, in my view, the best advertisement is the trips that the outreach clinic lawyer makes to the small communities, which I assume are well-advertised. We are bringing the law to the people.

When I was in Enterprise last year and in speaking to the Member for Deh Cho, I realized that this is an important issue for the Hamlet of Enterprise. We are going to be moving as quickly as we can to resolve these matters because, as I said earlier, we realize how important they are to the community.

We realize that, in smaller communities, sometimes there are issues of capacity, so we are moving ahead on a staged approach, which, in the circumstances, we would think is the best way of moving ahead. I can't give a firm date, but I do know that our staff is eager to meet with the community...

As I mentioned earlier, there was a delay in this pending the completion of the community plan, which has been approved by MACA. Lands has been attempting to set up times that they could meet with the hamlet. I am encouraged by the information that I have been provided that there have been several attempts. We realize sometimes in the smaller communities there are capacity issues, but we're hoping that there will be a meeting shortly, or perhaps in March. We realize the citizens of the hamlet do need certainty, and we are working towards that.

That is an interesting question, and I can see I can get some help from my fellow Cabinet Ministers on this issue. However, Members will recall the difficulties that we have been facing with the issue of equity leases, which is a much smaller issue than this. I certainly will take the question seriously, and it seems to me that we are not yet ready to make the kind of commitment requested by the Member opposite. Thank you.

Of course, we are attempting to make progress in land use planning generally, but, if looked at from another point of view, recreational land use planning is kind of a subset of the larger issue of dealing with land management. We thought that, because of the heavy pressure in the Yellowknife area in particular, we would attempt to move forward on that project, which is a mandate commitment.