The Government's position Article 12 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement contains two sections that give the INAC minister the power to either reject a public hearing report or ask for more work to be done on it, in cases where NIRB recommends a project not proceed.
Section, 12.5.7(d), "the federal minister may reject a NIRB recommendation if the government deems the project to be in the national or regional interest."
Section, 12.5.7(e) When a NIRB report is "deficient with respect to ecosystemic and socio-economic issues,” the minister may refer the report back to NIRB for further review or more public hearings.
Although NIRB recommendations are highly influential, the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement is designed to ensure that government ministers get the ultimate power to decide if any given project should or should not proceed.