A committee tasked with reviewing the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 proposed Mineral Rights Act has declared repeatedly that it wonSA国际影视传媒檛 support the legislation if it goes ahead as is, according to letters leaked to News/North.
SA国际影视传媒淭he Committee remains deeply disappointed with the lack of forthcoming information, and the limited scope of the (legislative proposal),SA国际影视传媒� states a Sept. 7 letter to government house leader Glen Abernethy from the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment.
Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment (ITI) spokesperson Drew Williams said neither his department nor its minister, Wally Schumann, would respond to questions SA国际影视传媒渞egarding leaked correspondence.SA国际影视传媒�
The letters detail a series of complaints on the legislative proposal, including the lack of will to re-evaluate the royalty regime set out in the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 devolution agreement, as reported by News/North last week.
SA国际影视传媒淭he Committee questions whether ITISA国际影视传媒檚 inability to develop a clear and complete (legislative proposal) stems from the fact that it may be under-resourced,SA国际影视传媒� states the letter. SA国际影视传媒淭he Committee requests confirmation that ITI is adequately resourced to address the vagueness of the (proposal).SA国际影视传媒�
According to the letters, the committee is concerned the proposed legislationSA国际影视传媒檚 creation of prospecting zones, with different rules, across the territory would run contrary to industry requests for a SA国际影视传媒減redictable, clear and concise regulatory system.SA国际影视传媒�
As well, the committee states that the legislation doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 address the ability of communities to prohibit staking within their boundaries.
According to the letters, the committee is worried the current legislative proposal creates a conflict of interest within ITI as the department would both be mandated to promote mining and bring in investment as well as manage mineral rights and regulate the industry.
While it seems the proposed legislation makes an effort to address this by allowing the minister to appoint a Mining Rights Commissioner for dispute resolution, the committee is still concerned that this position would both be appointed by and report to the minister.
Another concern is making this legislation modern. The committee states it is SA国际影视传媒渇rustratedSA国际影视传媒� that the department isnSA国际影视传媒檛 considering including online map staking, which is in place in Ontario, B.C., Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
SA国际影视传媒淚TISA国际影视传媒檚 rationale that systems are expensive and still need to be proven is not substantiated with any evidence,SA国际影视传媒� states the letter.
After News/North published a story last week on the mining royalty regime, referencing these letters, Vanthuyne released a statement critical of the story
SA国际影视传媒淐onfidential exchanges of information are a critical feature of Consensus Government that allow standing committees an opportunity to provide feedback to the government during the early drafting stages of the bill,SA国际影视传媒� he stated.
He also expressed regret he wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 contacted for that story, then he did not respond to repeated requests for an interview for this story.
Williams reiterated that the SA国际影视传媒渃onfidential exchange of informationSA国际影视传媒� is important and integral to the consensus government process, set out in the Consensus Government in the NWT SA国际影视传媒� Guiding Principles and Process Conventions 18th Assembly.
