Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Committee, any further questions to page 233? Are we agreed?

Thank you. That brings us to page 234, NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation, active positions, information item. Any questions? Are we agreed?

Thank you. That brings us to page 236, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, total activity $8,422,000. Detail on the next page, corporate management, active positions, information item, any questions? Mr. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the reductions for the Dehcho, it went from three to two, could the Minister advise whether the position was a filled or vacant position? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The decrease in the one position for the Deh Cho region is a vacant position which is a regional lands and resources analyst in the Deh Cho region, in Fort Simpson. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Any further questions, Mr. Thompson?

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. This vacancy, how long has this position been vacant, and does the Minister know or aware of that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The department has been unsuccessful in efforts to fill that position. We had three unsuccessful job action postings, and the position remains vacant. I suspect each competition was probably in the neighborhood of maybe two to three months, so I expect we spent at least probably six to nine months trying to fill the position. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Any further questions? Mr. Thompson.

No, thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer.

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Any further questions to active positions on page 237? Are we agreed?

Thank you. That brings us back to page 236, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, total activity $8,422,000. Are we agreed? Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So I'm not sure really where to bring up these questions, but, because the corporate management includes policy, legislation, and communications, I thought this was the appropriate place to do it.

I understand that the department is going to be developing a new Mineral Resources Act and is also committed to review the Petroleum Resources Act. So, in the development of that new act and the review of the Petroleum Resources Act, will the royalty regime be part of the scope of that work? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The royalty regime will be looked at in the scope of the upcoming legislative review of the Petroleum Resources Act, and the Oil and Gas Operations Act, and in the development of the Mineral Resources Act. Decisions will be evidence-based and will keep in mind the current fiscal policy framework as well as the reality of the high-cost operating environment for resource developers in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Any further questions? Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'm glad to hear that. I think I might have heard something a little bit different at one point. As long as it's going to be part of the scope, then it does make sense to have it all together.

Can the department tell us when we might expect this work to begin and when we might see a legislative proposal? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We've already started the work and started to scope it out, so this is something that we're looking at moving on. Thank you, Mr. Chair.