Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Lands. Earlier as I mentioned in my Member's statement, TerraX Minerals intends to spend nearly $40 million in the next few years in exploration in around the Yellowknife area, and so, Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife Peripheral Area Land Use Management Plan describes how lands around the city will be occupied by various users. Can the Minister commit that he will work with his Cabinet colleagues and department staff to make sure the development of this plan will be transparent and include exploration permits? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can advise that the department has done a number of studies to gather information on the Yellowknife Peripheral area, and I can advise also that they had a public telephone survey. So they have sought input from various groups including industry and they will considering, as the plan is developed, current and future land uses and values, they will identify high-quality public sites, culturally significant sites, ecologically sensitive sites, and future economic opportunity sites. So hopefully we will be able to develop a plan that will satisfy, if not everybody completely, at least take into account all those variants' interest. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you to the Minister for his reply. Also, Mr. Speaker, TerraX has shown its interest in collaborating with other land users and lease holds in and around the Ingraham Trail area. Can the Minister provide assurances that the GNWT will refrain from awarding additional leases in these areas where mineral exploration permits have already been awarded?
No, I cannot give that guarantee; however, it is important to remember that all leases contain clauses that explicitly note that the lessee does not have rights to the subsurface. That would apply to all leases.
Thank you to the Minister for providing that clarification. Mr. Speaker, part of the Yellowknife Peripheral Area Land Use Management Plan involves developing GIS maps of the area. Can the Minister commit that he will support the inclusion of the NWT Mineral 10-year Data Sets which are publically available online from the GNWT in the plan?
I can advise that we are looking at all sorts of areas and information, including the submissions made by various parties including industry. We would be prepared to look at the NWT Mineral 10-year Data Sets referred to by the Member opposite. As to whether they will be including in the plan, that is to be determined.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, maybe the Minister can answer this last question. It correlates with my line of questioning, but it is relevant to power. The development of a potential or future mine requires significant power, of course, and over the long term development of enough hydro power to support multiple mines could also lower the power rates for both industry as well as residents. Will the Minister commit to working with his colleagues to support the development of safe, reliable, sustainable energy on a scale that will make industrial development economically feasible in the area? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government and the Power Corporation are always interested in development of safe, reliable, sustainable green energy. As to whether for a specific project we would have the resources to have a project on the scale that might be necessary, it would have to be determined by the parties, and I understand that the Power Corporation has been in touch with several industrial groups to discuss that very issue.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Sahtu.
