I want to start first with a comment regarding the $8 million for community-based environmental monitoring in our budget--subject to the approval of the budget, of course.
I did want to correct my colleague Mr. Woodworth. There were three parties that voted against that funding. I would go further to suggest or note that they offered no amendment to our budget to suggest that either that amount or any other investment should be otherwise, Mr. Chair.
To go to the report itself, I think the most noted concern with respect to the environmental regulatory system in the report revolves around areas of the Northwest Territories without comprehensive land claims agreements, if I understand it correctly.
I noted with interest, Mr. Borbey, in the responses from INAC, the caveat about settling land claims. Does this mean that authorities for co-management, land use planning, and monitoring flow only from comprehensive land claims agreements? Or do those authorities for that type of management exist in areas without comprehensive land claims agreements?