Natural Resources committee  I assume you're talking about a CEAA-led assessment, an assessment led by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency federally. In such a case, with their new authorities under the Environmental Assessment Act of 2012, it would be the CEAA leading the consultations and actually determining the adequacy at the end of the day of what they have done.

Natural Resources committee  For a CEAA-led assessment, we will have a project agreement. As Terry mentioned earlier, there is the environmental assessment, but there's also regulatory permitting and the aboriginal consultation element. We'll want to document how that is going to unfold over the course of the 12 months if it's a standard EA, or the two years if it's a panel review, and publish that publicly so that people can follow the course of the review.

Natural Resources committee  Thank you for the question. Just to clarify, if I left you with the impression that I have people in the region, I'm sorry for that; I don't. They are all Ottawa based. Basically, these people were hired from various departments and agencies within the federal government, based on their skill sets and their expertise at the time.

Natural Resources committee  I can't point to a specific example in New Brunswick right now in which that has occurred. I know that there's every effort for coordination. If there isn't a substituted or equivalency agreement in place and there is a provincial requirement and a federal requirement, the overall objective, and this is often driven by the Environmental Assessment Agency, is to coordinate to the maximum extent possible to make sure that one set of information is meeting the requirements of both jurisdictions and that they go along a parallel track and they are integrated when they can be, so that there is a coordinated assessment.

Natural Resources committee  We might have to get back to you on that. We don't believe ATRIS takes into account the claims that aren't formally approved, but we will get you information on that.

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  With engagement, it's on natural resource projects, and our engagement is across the federal system and with other jurisdictions.

Natural Resources committee  That's accurate.

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, there are two mining projects in Ontario in the Ring of Fire region that are MPMO projects.

Natural Resources committee  It means that for those two projects, which is a Cliffs chromite mine and the Eagle's Nest mine, we will develop a project agreement and make sure that there are target timelines, the environmental assessment regulatory permit phases, and we will monitor and track. If there are issues, we will use our monthly deputy minister's committee meeting to resolve them.

Natural Resources committee  It means that for those two projects there will be a coordinated whole-of-government approach to aboriginal consultation. Instead of potentially having multiple federal departments going out and consulting them on the same project, there will be a coordinated approach which leads to more meaningful consultation.

Natural Resources committee  Yes. The panel report is due by the end of December, and there's a six-month period for the government to issue its response. A decision will come by June of next year.

Natural Resources committee  Yes.

Natural Resources committee  That was the Ministry of the Environment.