Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I think it's a question of making sure that the regulatory bodies are aware that modifications are happening and then an opportunity to input or make that significant determination....

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Under the land claim agreement, there's a requirement for the board to agree with the minister if any projects are exempted from screening through one of the schedules in the land claim. By introducing into the legislation the ability to exempt projects through regulation, that essentially has the same effect as the requirement for the board to agree to add a project to the schedule.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We actually had some discussion about whether to leave in that request for amendment. It was the length of the discussion and exactly the issue you raise that led us to say it should be left in. It really is about consistency with the land claim and the desire not to add in something that might be confusing.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes, I think this one is a substantive change.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In our view, there is a difference between a restriction in the ability to have any duplication and avoiding duplication. In particular, I think what's important about this proposed amendment is the facilitation of the coordination, and that may require some duplication.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I would suggest that the recommendations that have come forward have been about improving the work that's been done to date. The mining industry's recommendation for a five-year review certainly suggests that improvements are an ongoing part of the legislative process. We have tried to focus the Impact Review Board's comments on the key areas that we think would help improve the effectiveness and efficiency.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Just to be clear, none of us at the table were actually participants in the working group. My understanding was that the feedback was provided by working group members, and then the Government of Canada had a direct relationship with the legislative drafters.