This is page numbers 957 - 1010 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was going.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Do we have questions from the Members on corporate management? Member for Yellowknife North.

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess I would like to start on the general, and if the Minister could provide an update in regards to the new Mineral Resources Act, and when we can expect that to come into force and a timeline given COVID, whether any of the timelines in the mandate have changed in regards to the regulations under that? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think, on this one, I will ask Ms. Strand to answer. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Strand.

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Strand

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to the Mineral Resources Act, yes, certainly, we have been delayed a few months with COVID, but the dates are still achievable to complete that in the 2021-2022 year. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 973

The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Ms. Strand. Member for Yellowknife North.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Rylund Johnson

Rylund Johnson Yellowknife North

Thank you, Madam Chair. Another concern of mine is in regard to online map staking. I think this is a huge step, and I know that we are in the process of developing the software, but I am wondering if it's possible to speed that timeline up or if the Minister could provide an update of when we expect that to be in existence. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know that it is actually quite a complex system to get going. I have had numerous conversations with some of our surveyors and the legalities behind going to the online staking. It does seem pretty archaic in this day and age that we are forcing people to go out where there are no roads to actually literally pound stakes in the ground. I will maybe pass this over to Ms. Strand to just, perhaps, provide a timeline, if she has one. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Strand.

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Strand

Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. As the Minister has spoken, there is a significant timeline needed to evolve to that map staking platform. That being said, we recognize the importance of it to industry and, also, real time knowledge of who is on the land where, from an Indigenous government perspective. We know that other jurisdictions have taken up to ten years. That is not what we want in our case. We believe that we have very good knowledge from our fellow provincial and territorial governments.

We do have a MARS project, which is a general administration and registry system. We were successful in securing $4.2 million in financing for that to design the platform for that mineral administration, which includes the map staking. We delayed those funds because of COVID, and the bottom line is that we need to be hiring for that project. We will start with a minimum amount of hiring.

I might have to go out on a limb here, but I think we are going to need two to four years, and I am not exactly sure where we would be. We would be prepared to be coming back once we have a solid game plan in place. There are some significant decisions that we have to make. For example, for existing mineral tenure clients, we have to decide whether there is a forced conversion, that's just one example, or a voluntary conversion. Then, when we apply a grid over the mineral tenure system, how do we put people's claims into that grid block?

There is a lot of consultation that we need to do with industry within the next year. We are hoping that we can start that even with an online platform in the coming months. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Ms. Strand. Are there further questions under corporate management? Member for Frame Lake.

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I guess I would like to follow up on my colleague's questions from the Member for Yellowknife North on the Mineral Resources Act regulations. In the last Assembly, the standing committee suggested and asked for a plan, how these regulations are going to be developed and rolled out overtime. We have asked for the same. Does such a plan exist? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am not sure if the state of the plan is at a stage where we would be sharing it. However, I do commit to coming back to the Member and providing him with a briefing on where the plan is at. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Member.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. I guess I have heard from our witnesses that one part of it might take two to four years to implement, and that is not unusual. When Ontario rewrote its mining legislation, it took 10 years to fully implement. I don't think we're going to be that much different, but I do really want to see a full plan. Are there any additional resources in this budget for the development of regulations and the consultation that should take place around it? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Chair. I believe the two-to-four-year timeline was towards the online staking that the Member was asking about, not about the plan. I think I will just ask Ms. Strand to answer this question. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Ms. Strand.

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Strand

Yes, thank you, and the Minister is correct. That was for the online map staking platform. With respect to the regulations, I think COVID has set us back from starting that engagement. Right now, we are looking at a government-wide approach with respect to how we are going to engage with our stakeholders so that we include Indigenous governments, industry, any concerned citizens or groups. We want that to be a united approach by GNWT, because we have a number of legislation priorities across all departments. That really has to be decided before we will really have a fulsome plan in place. As the Minister said, we can come back probably, hopefully, if we get through COVID here and back to regular business, we will be starting that planning right away. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Ms. Strand. Member for Frame Lake.

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Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Madam Chair. Look, I fully understood that the two to four years was for map staking. I still want to see the plan and want to know what kind of resources the department needs to carry this out. My simple question was, and I will repeat it again: are there any additional resources in this budget for the development of regulations for the Mineral Resources Act and the consultation that should take place? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister.