Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. Braden on March 24, 2004, regarding reclamation of Miramar Con Mine. Mr. Braden asked if there is a specified reclamation standard in the Con Mine leases that the leaseholder must achieve. The leases require Miramar Con Mine to prepare a restoration plan dealing with, among other things, the removal of buildings and structures on the property, roads, and the land in general. The plan is to be prepared with the objective of restoring the land to an environmentally-safe and reusable condition, to the satisfaction of the deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. In determining what constitutes an environmentally-safe and reusable condition, the department refers to existing standards and guidelines under territorial and federal legislation.

Miramar Con Mine has five leases with varying termination dates. The lease on the Rat Lake parcel expires in 2006. The leases on Tin Can Hill and Armstrong Island expire in 2011. The leases on the mine site and the town site both expire in 2021. The leases require that a restoration plan for the parcels be submitted to the deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs approximately two years prior to the expiration date of each of the leases. Municipal and Community Affairs is working through the process established by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board to arrive at one abandonment and restoration plan satisfactory to all regulatory bodies.

The department has deemed that the draft abandonment and restoration plan, submitted by Miramar Con Mine as required under their federal water licence to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board in March 2003, is an acceptable format for the restoration plan that is required to be submitted under the leases. Municipal and Community Affairs participates on the technical working group that is currently reviewing the draft Miramar Con Mine abandonment and restoration plan and intends to adopt the draft abandonment and restoration plan once it has been finalized and approved by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, provided it meets the test of environmentally safe and reusable as required under the leases.

Mr. Braden further asked if the leases permit the Minister to set or alter the standards of reclamation that Miramar Con Mine must meet. The answer is yes. The deputy minister has the authority to direct Miramar Con Mine to revise the restoration plan. This process is ongoing and being monitored through Municipal and Community Affairs’ participation on the technical working group, chaired by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board, and which is currently reviewing Miramar Con Mine's draft abandonment and restoration plan.

Finally, Mr. Braden asked if the reclamation standards are not achieved by Miramar Con Mine what remedies are available to the Minister to have the necessary work carried out. The deputy minister can order the restoration of all or any part of the property and any expenses incurred by the deputy minister in doing so would be recovered from Miramar Con Mine as a debt due to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. The deputy minister's authority to order the restoration of all or any part of the property, should Miramar Con Mine fail to do so, is contained in the Commissioner's Land Act and regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.