Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So following up on my Member's statement, my questions are for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
So even for those projects we may have decided are necessary, like roads, we need environmental assessments with full and open participation by scientists and traditional knowledge experts in order to make them the best they can be. So on a project like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, once the GNWT's already submitted its developer's assessment report, as the government did in 2023, are there any further opportunities within the environmental assessment process for those government-employed scientists to engage in the back and forth dialogue with TK experts about how to make the project better? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there is much discussion amongst all the parties during the environmental assessment process. And, you know, the feedback from all of those parties is very important as well because that's what actually improves the project as we move forward. ECC, on this specific project, is supporting the Department of Infrastructure as the project lead, and infrastructure is engaging and working with traditional knowledge holders and communities in regards to advancing this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as I understand it, the role of the GNWT-employed scientists is to give their input and expertise internally before that gets fed into the process. Does the GNWT employ any traditional knowledge experts that the GNWT's scientists can engage internally with to have that dialogue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECC is working with the Department of Infrastructure as the project lead to support the development of the project and providing technical advice in this regard. And as mentioned in my response to the first question, the GNWT is engaging and working with the traditional knowledge holders and the communities in regards to advancing the project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suppose I'll assume, unless directed otherwise, that the government is not employing traditional knowledge experts directly to have that internal dialogue.
But the final question is while I understand that government-employed scientists are still allowed to participate in responding to information requests, are those scientists allowed to collaborate with any other parties in issuing information requests as part of the environmental assessment process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is using a whole-of-government approach to the Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment, similar to the approach that was used on the Tlicho All-Season Highway or the Giant Mine remediation project through those environmental assessments. And this approach involves collaboration between the GNWT, our subject-matter experts across the different departments, to consider the GNWT's submission within the board process. You know, our experts also work within that process, for example technical sessions, to hear input from other parties respond to concerns and, if warranted, adjust the approach through collaboration and discussion, which is always a really important part of this whole process. They also participate in hearings which truly are a quasi judicial process. And during that process, you know, they bring their opinion and their position on -- very freely on whatever questions are raised through that process. The GNWT project that will contribute to this -- this is in advancing our mandate, and all the departments are working together in this advancement, no different in how we are supporting infrastructure in this way on this specific project as other departments would support environment and climate change on initiatives initiated by our department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
