Bob McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We would be pleased to respond to recommendation from committee on that matter. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're dealing with the Department of Indigenous Affairs, and the four people who went over were all staff. We feel that we will get better service; we will get better advice, because with a very small unit there are days when people are sick or people are on vacation and have nobody to cover. With the corporate services section, we will have more service, better service, and there will always be somebody there to provide us with that service. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As I said, if the committee wants us to change the operation of the Public Utilities Board, we would be prepared to look at it if the committee recommends it. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. They provided general support. They are still available to provide that support as part of the shared services. The more detailed policy, we kept an analyst position in the department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

We are just following the procedures as laid out in the mandate of the Public Utilities Board, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The issue that was in the courts was with regards to trapping. The Member is referring to whether the North Slave Metis Alliance have a land claims table. That is the focus or the responsibility of the Government of Canada, and the Government of Canada determines whether there are grounds or enough information to determine whether they would have a separate land claims table or not. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

There is a separate division, called priorities and planning, which is later on in the document, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The North Slave Metis Alliance went to court against the Government of the Northwest Territories for a number of reasons, but the court ruled that the North Slave Metis Alliance had Aboriginal right to hunt and fish, and they indicated that there should be a strength of claim assessment done by the government. The previous federal government had done a strength of claim.

There was no land claims table for the North Slave Metis Alliance. We have completed a preliminary strength of claim assessment for the North Slave Metis Alliance. We will be sharing it with the North...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This department just provides administrative services for the Public Utilities Board. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The priorities that we pursue have not been determined, but they will be informed by our energy strategy and our climate change framework that we are developing. Certainly, we are pursuing funding from federal sources for various projects, including Taltson hydro initiatives, Inuvik wind projects, and projects to reduce the use of diesel fuel in Northwest Territories communities.