Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you for that question, sir. I sat in on some of the regulatory bodies of the land and water boards that were operating within this jurisdiction during the time I was doing my report, and what struck me was that I thought they were dealing with issues that should have been addressed at the land use planning stage.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Correct. NWT is no different from any other jurisdiction. Alberta is going through land use planning at the moment. One of my main complaints for the years as the regulatory authority was that the issues we were being asked to deal with were not regulatory issues. They were land use issues.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If you want to carve out an entire area because it has certain burial grounds associated with it or whatever, it is carved out, and there's no development. No industry is going to want to go there. Once they go to an area where you say development should occur, then there should be a debate about the regulatory issues, not about the land use issues.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Bevington has made an assertion. My role, when I came to this post, was not to try to emulate what went on in Alberta. In fact, I don't think you can see any comparison between what was eventually recommended and what is in Alberta. My role, having been involved with regulatory bodies across this country—the Ontario Energy Board, and boards in the Maritimes and Quebec—was to put all of that together, with the consultation and the people I spoke to, and come up with some suggested improvements.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Since I raised the issue after you asked the question, what I looked at in terms of what was going on in the Yukon, which by the way was brought to the table here in the NWT when we had a round table with I believe some people from the Yukon, I think it was just some simplicity to the system that everybody understood.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  That's correct.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Bevington. Let me answer the first question first.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Well, I want to make a comment on the comment you made, that I hung my hat on the comparison between the Yukon and the NWT. I was responding to a question by the honourable member about the issue of why there's this disparity in the Yukon versus the disparity in the NWT between those who believe that development can take place and those who don't, and in the Yukon, where they seem to be ad idem.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  If it was my idea...and it may have come out of the discussion. It was clearly a matter for discussion, at this very round table, in terms of the number of boards. There was general agreement, as I saw it. In fact, as I say, parties were saying, “Take some significant action with respect to this, because there is a problem.”

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Can I just respond to that?

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Leef, thank you for that question. I'm not sure I can bridge the gap between what you've heard from some people and what you've heard from other people. I was unable to bridge that gap either other than, as I have said, we had a round table discussion here in this room where all parties were involved.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Bevington, I think it was clear even when I was doing my review of the regulatory systems that there were adjustments, amendments, and improvements to the regulatory system being put in place. Mr. Hagen and I, I know, discussed that during the timeframe. We had a round table discussion at the end of my consultation with all of the different parties.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I'm aware of it. Yes, sir.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, honourable members, for the invitation to appear before this committee to make a presentation, and perhaps more importantly, to respond to any questions that any of the honourable members may have. It's always a delight for me to come back to this part of the world.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, just very briefly, I really appreciate the opportunity to appear before your committee. I didn't say this at the outset because people would think you're backing down from your recommendation, but the purpose of my report was to generate some discussion. If that's what it has done and, from that, opportunities arise and improvements can be made, then I think we've accomplished our goal.