Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. O'Reilly on November 3, 2016, to the Honourable Bob McLeod, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations, regarding the status of vacancies on comanagement boards.
There are 14 co-management boards in the Northwest Territories with a combined total of 106 board positions. Of the 106 positions, 24 positions are currently vacant. Mr. Speaker, some of these positions have been vacant from as little as one month to as long as six and a half years. Of the 24 vacant positions, 14 have been vacant for less than one year, four have been vacant for more than one year but less than two years, two have been vacant for more than two years but less than five years, and four have been vacant for a period greater than five years.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has no outstanding nominations for these co-management boards. Of the 24 vacancies, Canada is the nomination authority for 11 positions and the various Aboriginal governments are the nomination authorities for 12 positions. The nomination authority for the remaining one vacancy is from the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board. Mr. Speaker, each of the 14 co-management boards currently has sufficient membership to maintain a quorum.
