Julian Morse

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I mean, I did give a number of examples in my preamble there. And so I am really only raising the issue because, you know, I've been told multiple times that the business plans are where we look to see, you know, what work is government doing on any given issue or what are -- you know, what are the general directions being given to the department as to what to prioritize. So when I don't see something in the business plans -- I will just put the targeted amendments to the water regs, for example. So we can just talk about that one. But there was a number of commitments...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the process of the Public Lands Act, now that we're on that subject, that is going through currently at the IGC table, I think one of the difficulties that constituents of mine had -- have and, you know, something that I've been starting to talk to the Minister more about is just when things go into the IGCS, they kind of disappear for a while and sometimes a very long while, and it's difficult for the public to keep track of what's happening with legislation. And, certainly, I am not going to have time to unpack all of this today but, you know, the fact that the...

Okay, thank you very much; I appreciate that update. The Public Land Act regulations, that's one that I haven't heard much about from this government thus far. Can the Minister give us an update as to where those are at, what stage they're at with developing those. I haven't seen any communications go out to the public about what's going on. So I have a constituent who was raising questions about that at a constituency meeting recently and would appreciate an update.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I think something that it might help with when I think about something along those lines -- it doesn't have to follow what the boards are doing in any way, but I just bring that up as one process that does have timelines associated with it. But one thing I am thinking is, like, you know, if I was working in that office and 420 applications came in and, you know -- I can just imagine, you know, people are asking you, you know, like, well, how come we're not moving on this, and how come it's not moving along? And staff are just dealing with a huge amount of applications...

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am going to take this as the section where I can ask some business plan questions, I think. So I will just get started on those.

I just note that a number of different regulations - the Forest Act regs, Wildlife Act regs, Waste Reduction regs, Reindeer Act regs - are all off the table on the legislative agenda. Is this due -- can the Minister help us understand why that's the case.

Thank you for your indulgence, Mr. Chair. And so, yeah, obviously I want to ask some questions about that process that the deputy minister just laid out to me. So I really appreciate him laying it out clearly like that. I don't think I've actually had that before.

So I am trying to understand, at any one of these stages -- they all seem like stages except for the land acquisition bylaw itself that the GNWT is in control of that process. So can you help me understand, the answer that the Minister gave previously was that there are stages in the process where the department doesn't have control -...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My next question is just about the additions to energy and strategic initiatives. I am pretty sure I know the answer to this one. But it looks like we got funding for the four different funds that are listed there. I won't list them for sake of time. But I know during the last -- the last review of the mains there was some concern about that funding lapsing. It looks like the feds did step up and fund those programs. Can the Minister just confirm that that's the case and that's why (audio).

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And so is it fair to say, then, that with the addition of staff that -- or how do I put this. Clearly some more capacity was needed in the department to move things along as quickly as has been demanded. But what I am wondering is are there any timelines that staff have to work under? Is there a minimum or maximum timeline a land application will proceed through the department in and meet all the different requirements or how is -- does the department have any targets related to timelines in terms of trying to move things along in a more timely manner? I mean, I think...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, of course. What I was asking is how do emergency response activities relate to highway maintenance? It's in the -- in the substantiation for the increase, it says to provide funding to address higher highway operations costs due to inflation, materials, and emergency response activities. So I am just curious what those activities are and how they relate to maintenance. Thanks.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. Just staying on Yellowknife, I know that, you know, there's already been a fair bit of chat back and forth on the floor of the House this sitting about land needed for military investment, land needed for housing. So I know there's one big parcel that the city's applied for in the kind of northern side of Frame Lake. I am curious to know how that process is proceeding and whether the new staff that the department has taken on is going to help processes like that move more quickly. And -- well, maybe I will start with that one, and I will ask the military one next...