Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This type of process is totally a federal responsibility. It is the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development that receives application of these projects and decides what process it should be assessed through. In this case, they have decided to do it through a comprehensive study. The Government of the Northwest Territories is not party to this process.

Initially the group that is going to make decisions, the trim and the scope of the study and developed guidelines is all federal, it is DIAND, Natural Resources Canada and Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The Government of the Northwest Territories has asked if we could be members of that. At this time, we are part of the steering committee, which has been set up to advise the decision-making body called the Responsible Authorities Caucus, that is what the federal department is called. That is the one who is going to be the over-all decision maker on this study process. A group set up to advise the Responsible Authorities Caucus or the RA Caucus, is what you call a project steering committee. That is made up of aboriginal groups, DIAND, the Government of the Northwest Territories, Akaitcho Treaty 8, Dogrib Treaty 11, Kitikmeot Inuit Association and the North Slave Metis Alliance. It is an advisory body that will work with the caucus.

We will also set up an experts' pool, which the Government of the Northwest Territories will become part of and then we will also advise the RA Caucus. As a department, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, we are taking the lead in establishing a working group across all departments within our government to look at the project as it proceeds, and to make sure all our departments are in a position to assist and respond to the issues as they arise. Thank you.