Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you. Thank you for providing the Yukon government the opportunity to comment on these changes. By way of background, I will note for you that the Yukon Surface Rights Board Act has its origins in the Umbrella Final Agreement and the 11 Yukon first nation final agreements

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I believe that is correct, yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I can provide that answer to you later. I don't have that off the top of my head. It is a relatively small proportion of the total land base.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  As I said, I would be happy to give you an answer, an answer to the committee, even later today, but I don't know off the top of my head.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  No, actually that is not correct.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There was one hearing that the board was involved in a number of years ago, which involved a dispute between a mineral claim holder and the City of Whitehorse. Subsequent to that hearing, although I am not familiar with the day-to-day operations of the board, I think it's fair t

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes; for both quartz and placer mining, it is a free entry system.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There are a couple of ways in which the Surface Rights Board could become involved in those issues. One is spoken to in the Yukon Surface Rights Board Act itself in terms of disputes involving settlement land, and that has to do with access and access conditions that could be im

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The latter one I spoke to does. Whenever land is owned or occupied by another party, the provision applies that relates to security prior to entry applies to various types of land, not just to land held by first nations.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm going to respond to you, but I will premise my comment by saying your sound is cutting out a bit. The question, I believe, was whether or not it was really an issue of access as opposed to whether you can enter on to the claim.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, the free entry system certainly.... In terms of, for example, the quartz act, where the mines and minerals are under the control and administration of the Yukon government and the commissioner, there is a right of entry set out in the Quartz Mining Act and in the Placer Mini

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  There may be opportunities, depending on the facts, for individuals other than first nations to go to the board. I'm not aware of any applications that have been made in that regard, though.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  My comments on this would be purely anecdotal, because there is not—to my knowledge, anyway—any study or investigation on this. You are correct that in many instances, particularly under the final agreements, there is a requirement for something to happen before it goes to the

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  While the board has the authority to call a hearing, my understanding of their processes is that they encourage mediation between the parties beforehand. That is not in the statute in all instances, but I think that is the practice of the board, yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think it's a useful addition to the statute. In the case of the Surface Rights Board, I don't think they have faced this before, but I think any individual who is contemplating being appointed to this board would be advised to think of this and find protection in this clause, o