Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to ask a few questions of the Minister for ECC following up with some of the things I was asking about last week. Mr. Speaker, I'd just note that it's been in the news that the De Beers company is currently up for sale. Can the Minister detail any lessons learned or changes to process which may inform assignment proceedings if the Gahcho Kue license were the subject of an assignment application? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, mine assets or corporations are not something that the GNWT would have authority to influence. You know, this also applies to corporate restructuring or sales processes. These are private. If the requirement under ECC would be for the company to provide applicable forms of security for their operation and if the company is not able to post these applicable forms of security to the GNWT, then we would not recommend to the land and water board that the license or permits be assigned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that answer, and the Minister is going in the direction that I was as well, and that is just noting that, you know, there's -- you know, in cases where these sales go down, as we've seen in this territory through the example of Ekati, sometimes it's taken on by a smaller company who has less financial capacity. I am just wondering if the Minister is thinking about that issue, how it might relate to De Beers, and how the government can best mitigate any negative consequences from such an assignment taking place and ensure that the public is not held liable for the cleanup of the site. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so the Department of ECC works closely with the land and water boards in the assignment of security requirements for any different company or corporation in the Northwest Territories. We provide information and recommendations but ultimately it is the land and water board that sets the level of security required, so we will continue to work together in that process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister currently confident that the amount of security held for the De Beers site is adequate to cover reclamation costs? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we currently do not have a final closure plan. The security that was provided by De Beers is based on the recommendation of the land and water board which had input from environment and climate change, and we will evaluate that as the final reclamation and closure plan is determined. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Monfwi.
