Evidence of meeting #11 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was development.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President, Dominion Diamond Holdings Ltd.
Yes, I'm also hopeful and optimistic that will take place. I know the premier is seized with this and recognizes he's now going to have the ability to influence outcomes and work with aboriginal governments to make sure we get this right.
Will there be some growing pains? For sure there will be, but I think we're going to find our way through this. I just fundamentally believe that the sooner we get local control, the better off we'll be. We'll work out the kinks as we go.
Thank you.
Conservative
Joan Crockatt Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
I was intrigued with the idea, Mr. Meyers, that there shouldn't necessarily be a one-size-fits-all for smaller projects or bigger projects. I wondered if you could just give us a bit more detail on that in the moments we have left.
Vice-President, Technical and Northern Affairs, Mining Association of Canada
It was intended to speak for itself. There are, obviously, projects of different sizes. Major projects, such as the development of a major diamond mine, are going to take more time and a more detailed and extensive process compared to a small advanced exploration project. The assessment process should be tailored to the size and the impact of the project.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Thank you.
We'll turn to Mr. Bevington now for the next questions.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Mr. Chair, thanks, and to the witnesses.
Mr. Bell, I just wanted to clarify something.
Were you not familiar with the Mackenzie gas project? Was it not done through a cooperation plan? The Mackenzie gas project was actually not done through the processes set up under the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, but under a completely separate process. Is that not the case?
President, Dominion Diamond Holdings Ltd.
That's correct. The emphasis I was trying to provide was that I'm not sure what kind of timeframes we would have needed to put on it, but at seven years it was far exceeding anything I've heard of.
Thank you.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Basically, it's not fair to use the Mackenzie gas project as an example of the failure of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act as it is outlined, because that wasn't the process that was followed. I sat on the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board when we did the only gas project that's been done in the Northwest Territories, that would be the K-29, with the pipeline outside of Fort Liard. We did that in just under two years. That was the process that we followed.
Mr. Bleaney, you've talked about the problems with the regulatory system and establishing projects in the north. Could you outline which projects the oil and gas industry has been involved with that deliver product at the end of the day, and that you had problems with?
Vice-President, External Relations, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
The one example that comes to mind is that recently a proponent in the central Mackenzie Valley region made an application to do a drilling project. In the process of going through their review, they decided to refer it, I think, to a full environmental assessment for the drilling of an exploration well. The proponent came to the assessment that it was too challenging to work through that process for the sake of that scale of activity and withdrew from that program. That's my understanding.
That would be an example of where the process challenged the ability to move forward with a project. There's a similar project that subsequently, I think, has gone through without having been asked to go to a full environmental review process.
NDP
Vice-President, External Relations, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
It's an exploration project, I think, in shale, yes.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Yes.
So, really, you're basing your criticism of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, and its timeframes and its delivery and its structure, on one or two projects. Is that it?
Vice-President, External Relations, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
These are nascent exploration plays at this point in time, so they're the first of the projects that are trying to be pursued in this particular environment.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Are you familiar with K-29, the one project that did go to environmental assessment?
Vice-President, External Relations, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers
No, I'm not.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Perhaps you should look at that. We expect that when you come in front of us as a witness, and you're giving testimony that denigrates an act of Parliament, you would be more—
Conservative
Joan Crockatt Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Chairman, on a point of order, I would implore the members of the committee to behave with a bit more of a respectful attitude toward our witnesses. They've come a long way to appear before us. We do like to have better parliamentary decorum.
Thank you.
Conservative
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Chris Warkentin
Mr. Bevington, I think it's our responsibility when we invite witnesses to respect them and to undertake our responsibilities as parliamentarians in that. It's fine to have a disagreement in terms of position, but to badger or to criticize a witness I think is unparliamentary.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
I don't get a chance to speak to the point of order? Is that what you're saying, Mr. Chair?
Conservative