Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Welcome to the witness. I’d like to throw the floor open for general comments on Bill 21. Ms. Bisaro.

We are on page 25. Clauses 31 to 40.

---Clauses 31 through 40 inclusive approved

Given that this government is also in a position of conflict as both regulator and proponent, as the Minister has mentioned, and the fact that we’ve got $27 million buried into this project, we need to take the high road.

Will the Minister commit to taking that high road and bringing independent oversight, as we would require for any other project that we are not both regulator and proponent on? An obvious conflict of interest.

Is committee agreed that we can bring witnesses in?

Clauses 11 to 20.

---Clauses 11 through 20 inclusive approved

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. I mentioned earlier today that we’ve had a string of bad news, mostly from the media, on the series of new crises at the Giant Mine site. The public has been the last to know, or perhaps the second last as I haven’t been seeing any information updating Members on the status and problems of this project. As both a fellow proponent and regulator, can the Minister say if the federal Northern Affairs department has been keeping his office updated on these developments?

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Next I’d like to call on Mr. Beaulieu, chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, for any remarks on the bill.

Thank you, committee. We’ll go to a clause-by-clause review of the bill. If committee agrees, we’ll go in groups of 10. There are quite a number of clauses in the bill. Committee agree?

In four years I don’t recall ever being given a departmental briefing on this project. We are not standing up for the public interest. It’s time to start.

I’d like to thank the Minister and witnesses. I’d like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses from the Chamber.

Is committee agreed that we go to Bill 21, private member’s public bill, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act?