Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The “automatic” is there, but it's not ours. At the three-year mark the first nations can leave the process and bring their claim to the tribunal and we can be still sitting at the table, so it's up to the first nation.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We have been looking at that, and as a continuation of a discussion with our colleagues in lands and economic development, we will continue to look at that, because some of the first nations, as Ms. Green has said, have invested. They have used the settlement money to invest in t

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No. What we're saying is that we are managing each and every negotiation process to reach a settlement within the three-year process--

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The three-year operational framework has been in operation since the announcement of the action plan. The evaluation does cover that three-year period. They interviewed first nations and other organizations, as well as employees, to develop their recommendations.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If they have representation, there's a cost to the first nation, but there's funding available to cover those costs.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The rules of the tribunal stipulate that they have to be represented by legal counsel, so they have to seek legal counsel.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If both parties feel there is a need for it, yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If we feel that we need to continue the negotiations, of course; if we're not done and we don't have an idea of where we're going towards the settlement, yes. Yes, the act says three years. What the department is trying to do is govern itself in accordance with what the act say

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There is no policy to end the negotiations in three years. It's a framework that we've adapted to get to the settlements within three years.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The mediation services unit will administer the rosters of the independent mediators. If at the table both parties agree there's an issue that needs to be kind of massaged better to get to a settlement that we just can't see, or that we're not able to crack, I guess, both parties