Shane Thompson

The Environmental Rights Act and the Protected Areas Act are bills that were passed in the last Legislative Assembly, including registries. To implementation, ENR would start by meeting the information required in each of the acts. When implementation occurs, we will be looking for opportunities to centralize information as resources allow while not duplicating the comprehensive land and water board registries.

The purpose and process and timelines for the environmental audit and the state of the environment reports are different. A state of the environment report is required to be tabled within three years of the revised Environmental Rights Act coming into effect and every four years afterwards. An environmental audit is conducted every five years by an independent body, and the next audit is due to be completed in 2025. The department continues to ensure that it meets reporting requirements in our environmental legislation and that this report is coordinated where appropriate.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. It is my understanding anti-SLAPP legislation is outside the scope of the work performed for the Environmental Rights Act and most likely would not be the responsibility of Environment and Natural Resources. However, in getting a heads-up with this question and understanding and looking at that one part of the report, I have reached out to my honourable colleague, the Minister of Justice, and we are more than willing to have conversations and with the Member, as well.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The department has been meeting with the city several times this past summer and most recently as of Monday, February 24, when I had the opportunity of meeting with the city as well as YK Dene First Nation. We have a working group in place that involves the city, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Lands, and E and I, and so we are working together on this issue. The department's goal is to have the process document done hopefully this year, and then we will work on transferring the lands in the future. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

As I have tried to say here in the House, it's a three-party process. It's the federal government, us, and DFN. I understand that DFN and the federal government have agreed to this area right now. Again, I am not saying we do not agree with it, but it's about the process. The whole process needs to be addressed, and we need clear understanding of where we are going ahead of this. Again, this is a Cabinet issue, and we are trying to work with them. We have reached out to them in correspondence. The Premier has already met with the grand chief, and we are starting that process. What I will say...

This is actually a very complicated file because it involves EIA, Executive and Indigenous Affairs, and Lands, and DFN, and we are trying to work with them to get a clear understanding of the process, the big process, of how we are dealing with all issues with the Dehcho First Nations. Right now, this is where we are working on it. We have been corresponding through letters. As well, the Premier has already met with the grand chief about a month ago, I believe, or a month and a half ago, to start the negotiations again.

An MOU may not be the necessary document or process we need to do moving forward, so what we are doing is we are working with the municipality to come up with a document that will ensure, as we move forward 10, 20, 30, or 40 years down the road. It's going to meet the needs of the residents of Yellowknife and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Yes. We did attend the NWTAC meeting, and there were no commitments or no questions asked from the association in regard to this issue, but I can tell this House and the public that we have had communications with the various tax-base communities on how we can move forward on this issue. This is very complex, and we are trying to work together.

Madam Speaker. The 19th Legislative Assembly believes our decisions must reflect a full understanding of our communities and regions. It is our responsibility to ensure that the needs of our residents are reflected in the decisions that will impact them. This is especially important when it comes to decisions about the land, Madam Speaker. That's why our northern Indigenous governments and communities are at the heart of our northern approach to establishing and managing protected areas.

The Northwest Territories is a leader in Canada when it comes to conservation plans. We work closely with...

As much as it sounds like it's that easy, it is not that easy. It's a very complicated process. It's about process, and we need to do it right. We need to work with them, and we need a clear understanding of the overall picture. Right now, I cannot make a commitment. I know it's in my riding, or it's actually in my colleague's from the Deh Cho. The other riding, Nahendeh, is part of the Deh Cho, and I have heard from leadership. They have talked to me about this, as well, but we want to make sure we do it right.