Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to introduce Bill 34, Mineral Resources Act. Bill 34 is part of our government's work to improve the Northwest Territories land and resource management regime to ensure Northerners are able to make decisions that support sustainable, responsible development and protection of the environment while respecting Indigenous rights.

Today I would like to speak with you about its purpose and our vision for what it can achieve. First and foremost, this legislation is the foundation upon which our management of the mineral industry can be built. Its defining goals are to give our government the ability to respond to the wants and needs of our people, bring clarity and certainty where it is lacking, modernizing how we govern mineral resources, and codifying our current best practices. The new authorities proposed in this act will give us the ability to establish regulations to match those ambitions. We believe the Mineral Resources Act defines a vision for managing exploration and mining in a way that makes sure Northwest Territories residents benefit, fosters positive relationships, and advances the public interest while maintaining a balanced approach and encouraging investment.

Contained within this bill are provisions which would ensure benefits for Indigenous governments and organizations for major mining projects that enter the operations phase of a mine. It is our firm belief that it is good public policy to codify our territory's longstanding commitment to bringing benefits to Indigenous communities from resource projects. While this is the first in legislation for Canada, the intent is to simplify and translate the practice of negotiating with Indigenous governments, which mining companies are either already doing or are expected to do in some form, wherever they do business into law. We think that this requirement can have a positive impact on investment decisions, as there is a growing movement toward sustainable financing by large investors with benefit to and support from Indigenous governments increasingly seen as a necessity.

Bill 34 also addresses benefit-generating tools for all Northwest Territories residents. The bill will clarify an approach that has existed in practice in our existing socio-economic agreements. As a government, we work collectively with our producers toward shared goals, but at the same time, provide the flexibility to allow evolution in these agreements or to use other appropriate tools to generate benefits for the territory in the future.

For Indigenous governments, communities, public government, and those looking to do business here, there are measures in this bill which will benefit each of them as they work to build mutually beneficial relationships in the mining industry. We believe that this bill will encourage early engagement, better communication, and predictable dispute resolution. This bill defines new authorities, reducing conflict by addressing gaps around sensitive lands and local awareness amongst those exploring for minerals.

We have proposed zones to create a method for Indigenous governments to drive where and how they could attract exploration investment within their lands by recommending them to the Minister. We also believe that they will create certainty by providing clarity on where IGOs wish to encourage exploration and where exploration is welcome.

We are also proposing a tool for Indigenous governments to quickly access protection of areas or sensitive cultural, ecological, or spiritual considerations facing imminent harm exists and were previously unknown. This would be a short-term measure to bridge the gap on a way to a permanent solution.

The Mineral Resources Act will enable our exploration regime to move into the 21^st Century with online map staking. This will actually help facilitate and improve communication and transparency once implemented. We recognize that geological information is key, and that a whole lot about it is collected through the mineral exploration to mining activities. This bill will give us the authorities to collect more geoscience information through all stages of the mineral development cycle. Such measures would add to our understanding of the territory's geology, and when that information is made public, it has the potential to encourage economic development in the future. The act also respects the need for reasonable confidentiality to protect commercial interests.

Bill 34 is one of the most significant pieces of legislation introduced in the Northwest Territories since devolution in 2014. The department completed extensive legislative research, multiplatform engagement campaign where the public, Indigenous governments, industries, NGOs, and other interested stakeholders were invited to comment, feedback from those on Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment, and close collaboration with intergovernmental council throughout the policy development process.

The department produced and promoted plain language materials to assist in informing the public. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment has worked with the legislative division of the Department of Justice on this bill. The department has been clear that many regulations, along with the accompanying awareness materials, must be completed to bring provisions of this act into force should it pass.

We are committed to moving forward in the spirit of collaboration with our partners on the intergovernmental council, our industry, and of all our affected stakeholders, and we recognize how important that collaboration will be in getting implementation right. Everyone involved in the making of this bill wants improved investor confidence, and we also want to maintain increased investment in the Northwest Territories.

The bill will not come into force until necessary regulations are in place for the act's general function. The implementation of the Mineral Resources Act will be a phased approach. This is consistent among other jurisdictions that have done similar overhauls of their mining legislation.

I wish to commend the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment on their continued engagement with the public as this bill has moved through the legislative process. It is an important bill, and I appreciate how much time and effort has been dedicated by all parties. I hope that the plain language materials that the department has produced and promoted since introduction were helpful in informing the public.

I welcome any questions that Members may have. Thank you, Mr. Chair.