Just for the record, First Nations have to be recognized is to have a settled land claim. Is that how it will be recognized? Yet, at the same time, we don't recognize treaty areas?

Thank you. Ms. Faryna.

Thank you. Mr. Nadli.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Nadli. I think I had Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. While we're on the subject, I guess I'm not allowed to look forward. Where are the occurrences in the bill where settlement areas are referred to? I just can't find any. I don't have my computer opened to do a keyword search, but why was it necessary to include a definition of settlement area in the bill itself? Because I can't find any instances of it at my fingertips. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Ms. McLaughlin.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

I guess I just anticipate too much, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. To clause 1 as amended.

Thank you, committee. One hundred and fifteen to go.

---Clauses 1 through 6 inclusive, approved

Clause 7. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I do want to commend the department for the work that they did with the committee and our staff to prepare this rather extensive list that is now clause 7 in the bill about a registry, and particularly 7(3), which is going to create a public registry. The public is going to be guaranteed access to a lot more information under this bill than currently exists under the mining regulations. This is a good thing.

The list of things that are here, there is one important matter that's not listed, and that's this notice of intended work. As I understand it, notice of intended work is going to be defined through regulations, and is basically to help encourage good working relationships, as the Minister mentioned in his opening remarks, and the definition of that is going to be worked out through regulations collaboratively with industry, hopefully the public and Indigenous governments, as well. I'm just wondering: why is that not included in the public registry? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. A question for the Minister. I guess, technically, the Minister is directing me to Ms. Strand. Ms. Strand.

Thank you. Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Well, we are going to deal with this issue. It is contained in the bill. In fact, the Minister has the ability to exclude information, is required to exclude information that could be detrimental to business interests that even go above and beyond what's in the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The Minister has extensive powers there that go above and beyond what we've already legislated. The Minister has the ability to prescribe what this notice of intended work is going to look like. In fact, good companies already do this. TerraX already does it here. They tell people what they're going to be doing each winter.

It is my understanding that, in Ontario and in Quebec now, companies do this. They tell people what they are generally going to do at a high level in terms of exploration, and this just makes for good neighbours. It helps avoid land use conflicts and so on, and I have every confidence that the department is going to work with industry to make sure that no detrimental information is going to be disclosed. We're going to be doing five drills around Prelude Lake, or something. Why can't that kind of information be put on a public registry? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will take the comment as noted, but we will certainly have a look at this as we develop regulations. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I think there was a question made in the comment. Mr. O'Reilly, could you please repeat?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Given that the Minister already has the discretion to define what is in this notice, the good practices that are already in place, is shown by TerraX here locally, why can't this information about intended work be filed on a public registry? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Minister.