Mr. Speaker, once again I rise to voice concerns brought to me by Indigenous governments and residents in my region regarding GNWT approach to traditional use cabins. Mr. Speaker, I've raised this issue twice in this Assembly. So after today, Mr. Speaker, it will be thrice I've raised this issue, Mr. Speaker. Thrice, still with no resolution, Mr. Speaker.
We have settled land claim agreements in my region that clearly state an agreement that provides for certain rights to Indigenous claimant groups to access and establish camps as part of exercising their right to harvest agreements and to harvest, Mr. Speaker, and these are agreements that we as a government signed.
In June 2023, Mr. Speaker, the then Member from Inuvik Twin Lakes provided a Member's statement following up on a motion she brought to this House in relation to Indigenous people having cabins for the rights-based purpose and how they should be exempt from lease payments for those rights-based cabins and camps, Mr. Speaker. Following several Members' statements on this issue, government made several key commitments that are meant to respond directly to the concerns raised by Indigenous governments:
Commitment to develop a unique authorization and management approach for traditional use cabins, camps, and cabins;
Agreeing to set the annual rent for this new authorization at zero cost or a nominal value of $1, eliminating this financial barrier to traditional land use; and,
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT committed to working collaboratively with Indigenous governments to establish the terms and conditions for this new authorization so that it provides a level of flexibility and regional customization while still meeting the GNWT's basic interests in the management of public lands in the NWT.
Time and time again, Mr. Speaker, the Minister has said we are working with Indigenous governments but when I speak to some Indigenous governments, they say they've been waiting on GNWT. So, Mr. Speaker, I have no idea when we'll figure this out and what is being done for the NWT rights-based cabin owners, Mr. Speaker. This is taking far too long, people are frustrated, they have suffered financial hardship, and Indigenous governments are fed up. We need to resolve this issue now, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from the Sahtu.
