Kieron Testart

Section 24(1) says: For the purposes of the section, applicable in respect of Indigenous governments and organizations, or those Indigenous governments and organizations. That's at the request of a zone. How does industry who basically wants to obtain a prospecting permit, how do they apply for a zone because this section is fairly explicit that it would be an Indigenous government that would have to request a zone be created. How does industry go about doing it, as they did with prospecting permits? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This section, clause 53 deals with a change in material, a material change to an undertaking authorized under the mineral release. Can the Minister just explain clearly what this section contemplates because I think there's a concern? What does a material change look like, and does that mean an entire benefit agreement needs to be shifted to reflect that change? Can the Minister just explain how this would play out? How the department envisions this to play out in reality? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you for that clarification. How is including a provision on the public registry for a notice of intended work related to providing direct notice to Indigenous governments and organizations? I am fine with that. I think that that is a pretty good choice. It is a separate issue. That is not the public registry; that is direct notice, which is another provision governed by the act. How does that matter impact at all with what is being raised here today? We already know that confidentiality issues around business interests can be protected by the Minister by preventing that disclosure on the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think that this is a commendable effort to improve, again, a section that is far too vague. Part of me very much wants to see this kind of certainty and specificity added to the legislation, especially after the debate that we have had on the floor so far where we couldn't even get a straight answer that this is just going to enshrine best practices and move forward along that basis. That being said, my concern is that, unlike section 52, I am not sure if industry has been properly consulted on this.

Even though this is a discretionary clause, I would like to know firmly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Northerners expect real climate change leadership, and that means a plan that works for the NWT. The plan that is being proposed by the GNWT that is central on Bill 42 does not achieve that goal. Only one model of carbon pricing was explored and developed without adequate legislative oversight or public engagement.

Although I support some form of carbon pricing in principle, such as a cap and trade system, I cannot support this plan that leaves unelected public servants responsible for new taxes and rebates without approval by Members of this House, not to mention the...

Could I just get the section of the transitional provision again, covering the prospecting permits? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Nothing further.

Thank you. I have reviewed the clause that allows the Minister to provident unintended disclosure in the public registry, and I am satisfied that it has broad powers for the Minister to prevent disclosure of information that would be harmful to business interests. I hear what the witnesses are saying, but I also heard them talk about inherent rights. Could the witnesses walk us through how a disclosure of intended work would impinge on the inherent rights of Indigenous peoples? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. What I am trying to seek clarity on is, A, how broad is this, and I think we've learned it's fairly broad; and B, given that, most likely, this will not change from its current form tonight, let's give crystal clear certainty what the government plans to do with this moving forward.

The Minister can say that there are no concerns from industry or investor confidence. We've got correspondence that says this section is very vague. So if he could just put on the public record tonight that this is just codifying what is currently going on in the Northwest Territories and there...

Thank you, Chair. The intention of this motion is to be consistent with other pieces of Territorial legislation. The sole example is the Petroleum Resources Act. This same provision exists there. It allows opportunity for the public to review regulations as they are published and to provide them with an opportunity to comment. This is something that we heard from civil society, from industry, and from Indigenous organizations, as well. I think it is important that we give the public the opportunity to weigh in on these regulations.

As this is a consistent theme that we have heard throughout the...