Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I just want to add--

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There are 63 first nations that taking part in the Claim Settlement Implementation Acts. Two benefits under that act are that you only need a ministerial order—you don't have to go all the way to Governor in Council—and you can have the pre-reserve designations, as Andrew has pointed out.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There is no separate policy. We can certainly get you the statute—

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The department already has programs to remediate reserve lands. However, there is a long list of projects given the funds that are available for that work. As for additions of land to the reserve, that land may have been used by the province for industrial activities. The members of the community generally want to live on these lands.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's correct.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  It's a fine distinction, but in terms of the community economic projects this is something the community would be doing themselves. The third category, economic development, would be a third party wanting to develop a mine on a reserve, for example. A community economic development project would be a shopping mall that the community was doing itself, as opposed to with a third party developer.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Before adding land, the condition of the land has to be assessed. This is expensive and time-consuming, but it is absolutely necessary before crown land can be transformed into reserve land.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Absolutely: the majority of lands in provinces are provincial crown lands. There are some pockets that are federal crown lands, without a doubt, but the majority are provincial crown lands. That's correct. That's why in a situation like Lake St. Martin they have to be at the table.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Again, I can't answer you on the specifics on that, but I will bring back to you what I'm able to from the negotiations.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I can't talk to the specifics of the negotiation. It's something going on in our regional--

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I can certainly get back to you with what I'm able to say about the ongoing negotiations that are taking place with the province and the first nations. I've been involved in some of the calls that have been going on with that, through headquarters, but as I said, it's mostly going on in the region.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's absolutely one of the options.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As I said, I'm not intimately involved in the negotiations, but I will be able to bring back to you what I can in terms of what's happening. These are behind-closed-doors negotiations with the first nations and the province for the most part, but I certainly can provide you with the information.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, that depends on the first nation and, again, on the municipality. We have a number of instances, though, where first nations have adopted a really positive good-neighbour approach—and we ask for that. Under the Indian Act, first nations have the ability to create zoning bylaws.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The largest cost, of course, would be the purchase of the land.