Meadowbank Gold Project: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada’s Final Hearing Presentation to the Nunavut Impact Review Board March 27 – 31, 2006

Provide the best possible advice to the Nunavut Impact Review Board INAC’s Role in the Review Minister has a role to review the Board’s final report

Regulatory Role INAC’s regulatory trigger is the construction of the all-weather road on Crown land.

Legislation DIAND Act Nunavut Land Claims Agreement Act Canadian Environmental Assessment Act Territorial Lands Act Nunavut Waters & Nunavut Surface Rights Tribunal Act

INAC’s presentation is a brief synopsis of our submission to the Nunavut Impact Review Board

1.Socio-Economic 2.Road uses 3.Accidents and malfunctions 4.Perimeter dewatering dike design, construction and monitoring 5.Presentation of geotechnical information 6.Drainage benches for all open pits 7.Disposal of non-salvageable materials Areas of Concern

Collaborative socio-economic monitoring and follow-up Baker Lake labour market adjustment and baseline data The transition of an inexperienced labour force to a rotational workplace Socio-Economic Concerns

Socio-Economic Assessment Collaborative Monitoring and Follow-Up Collection of baseline information, analysis and development of mitigation or enhancement strategies involves the GN, hamlets, GOC and proponent These efforts are in addition to and separate from, the monitoring activities of the IIBA

Recommendations All parties should agree on the framework for the monitoring committee prior to issuance of project certificate NIRB can play a guiding role The framework must be flexible to allow for the inclusion of future projects Socio-Economic Assessment Collaborative Monitoring and Follow-Up (Cont’d)

Socio-Economic Assessment Baker Lake Labour Market Adjustment and Baseline Data Inadequate assessment of models for job retention, employee turnover, gender hiring and local labour force supply. Incomplete baseline data on local labour force. Recommendations Re-evaluation of assessment process, applying higher variables for turnover rates and labour force supply. Specific monitoring for early identification and development of mitigation strategies.

High local levels of unemployment will result in many new workers wanting to work at the project. These new workers and their families will be most vulnerable to negative socio-economic impacts resulting from rotational industrial employment. Socio-Economic Assessment Transition of an Inexperienced Labour Force to an Industrial Rotational Workplace Recommendations Life skill training must be available to new workers and their families, and be closely monitored.

Bio-physical Assessment All-Weather Road Recommendations Provide assurances that mitigation will be undertaken for the environmental, socio- economic and cumulative effects arising from the construction, operation, and abandonment of the mine access road. Potential external uses of the all-weather mine access road.

Bio-physical Assessment Accidents and Malfunctions Requirement of the NIRB Guidelines “The proponent shall assess the potential impacts, including those resulting from interaction with wildlife, of accidents and malfunctions, including worst-case scenarios, and shall evaluate their probability of occurrence.” Recommendation Provide a complete list of potential Accidents and Malfunctions and address requirements of NIRB Guidelines as outlined above.

Bio-physical Assessment Perimeter Dewatering Dike Design, Construction and Monitoring Uncertainty regarding contingency plans for construction of perimeter dikes over potentially challenging subsurface foundation conditions in deeper water sections of dike. Image: Courtesy of Cumberland Resources Ltd

Bio-physical Assessment Perimeter Dewatering Dike Design, Construction and Monitoring Cont’d Recommendation Describe contingency plans for dike construction in deeper water sections of dewatering dikes (pending).

Bio-physical Assessment Presentation of Geotechnical Information Better presentation of geotechnical domains and pit slope angles will allow confident assessment of potential impacts and better understanding of design (provided). Recommendations Present a map to show the zones of similar physical features (provided) Present worst case scenarios for pit wall failure and options for remediation (pending).

Bio-Physical Assessment Drainage Benches for All Open Pits Drainage benches have not been included in the mine design (provided).

Recommendations Provide a mine design with drainage benches or provide reasoning for not including the design into the current pit plan (provided). Detail the potential impacts arising from the design of the drainage benches and present remediation contingencies (pending). Bio-Physical Assessment Drainage Benches for All Open Pits (cont’d)

Bio-Physical Assessment Disposal of Non-Salvageable Materials Non-salvageable materials will be cleaned and compressed before disposal into waste rock piles and/or into pits prior to flooding. The design of a land fill within the waste rock pile has not been provided (pending). Recommendations Identify area and submit design criteria for landfill of non-salvageable material (pending). Provide list of materials to be deposited into pits or waste rock piles (pending).

INAC is confident all concerns will be addressed.

Matna Qujannamiik Thank You Merci

Clarification to Environment Canada Question Baseline Groundwater Quality Data Very limited baseline data from 2003 and 2004, with significant variation Cumberland agreed to re-sample monitoring wells after thaw (~August 2006) to supplement FEIS groundwater data Prior to next phase of regulatory process, suggest Cumberland re-run this model to improve confidence regarding the Proponent’s predictions for pit water quality during mine life and final flooding of the pits.