Mr. Speaker, this is a response to a question asked by Mr. Rabesca on the 28th of January regarding the monitoring of Colomac Mines. As the honourable Member correctly noted in this Assembly on January 28, when work is finally completed next summer at the Rae Rock Mine, it will have taken over three decades to clean up wastes left over from the mine's operation. Times have changed however, and so have the means by which governments regulate mines, including the Colomac Mine.

The land upon which Colomac Mine operates is controlled by land leases administered by the Land Resources Branch of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Operation of the waste treatment and disposal facilities are licensed by the federal NWT Water Board. In the case of Colomac and other mines operating on federal land, the Government of the Northwest Territories does not have a direct regulatory role over their land and water use activities. The role we take is one of advisor to the appropriate federal regulatory agency and, just recently with BHP, partner to the Environmental Agreement.

With respect to eventual closure and abandonment of the Colomac Mine, when Royal Oak Mines received approval from the federal Water Board to operate a mine, a condition was placed in their water licence which required the company to submit an abandonment and restoration plan. The plan presents the scope of activities that Royal Oak Mines will undertake at the time of final mine closure. At the same time, the Water Board also required Royal Oak Mines to post and maintain a security deposit in the amount of $1.5 million to ensure the necessary work was undertaken upon closure.

Mr. Speaker, all governments must continue to learn from the mistakes of the past. When it comes to the closure and abandonment of mines, it is hoped that we have learned enough so that the mistakes made at Rae Rock are not repeated. For our part, we remain committed to ensuring closure and abandonment of mines occur in a timely and safe manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.