Natural Resources committee  When it comes to any licensing decision, it's the commission, which is an independent tribunal.

Natural Resources committee  In our proceedings, they are not really decision-makers. They inform the commission, and they'll provide their perspective.

Natural Resources committee  Our approval is our decision on whether or not a project should proceed, and the conditions associated with that. It is not an approval to a band, if that's what you are asking. It is for the project, and to the proponent.

Natural Resources committee  I think that varies. Ms. Sauer can give you the details. As I have told you, we would meet with whoever asks to meet with us and [Inaudible—Editor].

Natural Resources committee  I'm not aware of any time they have asked for that. They have not.

Natural Resources committee  I have been a commission member for six years and a president for six months, so I can tell you what's happened in that period of time. Even within the six years, I have seen that it's a moving thing: expectations keep on changing and our processes become a lot more inclusive.

Natural Resources committee  It's new territory for us. I, too, have had staff who've gone through the training, and certainly when it comes to the development of our regulatory documents and requirements, we're now using gender-based analysis plus for doing so. Going forward, with Bill C-69 and impact ass

Natural Resources committee  I'll get Ms. Sauer to answer that.

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  One of the primary ones we hear is the impact on their traditional way of life, particularly when it comes to country foods, of potential radioactive contamination. It's usually issues around this that we hear at our proceedings. We at the CNSC have an independent environmental

Natural Resources committee  Let me start off with our processes, and I'm sure Ms. Sauer will want to add to that. Our commission processes are open to everyone, so we don't necessarily go just through the leaders. Anyone can appear. We get participation from all aspects of the indigenous communities. Certa

Natural Resources committee  Certainly, prior to any hearings or meetings that affect certain communities, we would definitely be in touch with them months and months before that. What we now try to do is establish ongoing relationships with them. It varies. Maybe I'll ask Ms. Sauer to give some more detail

Natural Resources committee  We have done some benchmarking with other nuclear regulators internationally. None of them have an approach similar to ours. They really look towards us for best practices, particularly when it comes to our processes, which are very open and transparent. Also, our participant fun

Natural Resources committee  I'll give you my perspective as a nuclear regulator. One of the things we have tried to do as a regulator is to make sure that we are prepared for any SMR applications that come our way. One of the things we have done is to offer a service that we call a “vendor design review”, w

Natural Resources committee  Yes, the CNSC uses many different mechanisms to engage with indigenous communities. I'll list some of them, the ones that you have listed. When we have any hearings or meetings coming up, we do send out emails, and we recognize that for some of these communities that's not the be