Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee on
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Issue 8 - Evidence - March 4, 2014
OTTAWA, Tuesday, March 4, 2014
The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, to which was referred Bill C- 15, An Act to replace the Northwest Territories Act to implement certain provisions of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement and to repeal or make amendments to the Territorial Lands Act, the Northwest Territories Waters Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, other Acts and certain orders and regulations, met this day at 6:37 p.m. to give clause-by-clause consideration to the bill.
Senator Richard Neufeld (Chair) in the chair.
[English]
The Chair: Welcome to this meeting of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources. My name is Richard Neufeld. I represent the province of British Columbia in the Senate, and I'm chair of the committee. I would like to welcome honourable senators, any members of the public with us in the room, and viewers all across the country who are watching on television. As a reminder to those watching, these committee hearings are open to the public and also available via webcast on the sen.parl.gc.ca website. You may also find more information on the schedule of witnesses on the website under "Senate Committees.''
I will now ask senators to introduce themselves. I will start by introducing my deputy chair, Senator Grant Mitchell from Alberta.
Senator MacDonald: Michael MacDonald from Nova Scotia.
Senator Plett: Don Plett from Manitoba.
Senator Boisvenu: Pierre-Hugues Boisvenu from Quebec.
Senator Sibbeston: Nick Sibbeston from the Northwest Territories.
Senator Massicotte: Paul Massicotte from Quebec.
Senator Black: Doug Black, Alberta.
Senator Wallace: John Wallace, New Brunswick.
Senator Seidman: Judith Seidman from Montreal, Quebec.
Senator Patterson: Dennis Patterson, Nunavut.
The Chair: I would also like to introduce our clerk, Lynn Gordon, and our Library of Parliament analyst, Sam Banks.
We are dealing today with clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-15, An Act to replace the Northwest Territories Act to implement certain provisions of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement and to repeal or make amendments to the Territorial Lands Act, the Northwest Territories Waters Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, other Acts and certain orders and regulations was introduced in the House of Commons on December 3, 2013.
On December 4, 2013, our committee was authorized by the Senate to conduct a pre-study of Bill C-15. We held eight meetings on the subject matter and heard from some 31 witnesses. The committee also received three written submissions.
Given that the actual Bill C-15 was then referred to us last Thursday, February 27, 2014, we are now at the stage where the committee will go through the bill clause by clause.
Before we begin, I would like to make members aware that we do have officials from Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and Justice Canada here in the room should members have technical questions to raise as we go through the bill. If such is the case, I will invite the representatives to the table to answer the questions.
This bill contains, as honourable senators know, 229 pages and four parts, enacting and amending various acts and agreements. Given the length and complexity of the bill, I would like to propose that we conduct clause-by-clause consideration, for the most part, by grouping the clauses together by parts.
I will, however, take the opportunity to remind members that if they have specific questions about a whole or part of a clause, the accepted practice would be for us to proceed in the order of the lines in the clause.
As you already know, no notice is required to move amendments. It would nonetheless be very useful to this process if a senator wishing to move an amendment indicates if their amendment affects other parts of the same clause. Also, if anyone wishes to move an amendment, I will verify whether any senators had intended to move an amendment to an earlier part of a clause. If senators do intend to move an amendment to an earlier section, they will be given the chance to do so.
Finally, I wish to remind members that if there is ever any uncertainty as to the results of a voice vote or show of hands, they can request a roll call vote, which provides clear results.
Are there any questions on any of the above?
Senator Black: I have one question by way of procedure. The only comment I will have during the evening is in respect of the draft report. I have a specific question. Do we deal that subsequently?
The Chair: Yes.
Senator Black: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Chair: I believe we can now proceed.
Senator Patterson: Agreed.
The Chair: Is it agreed that the committee proceed to clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-15, An Act to replace the Northwest Territories Act to implement certain provisions of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement and to repeal or make amendments to the Territorial Lands Act, the Northwest Territories Waters Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act, other Acts and certain orders and regulations?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the title stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, stand postponed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: If it is agreed, with leave, the balance of the clauses in the bill will be grouped together in parts for the purpose of clause-by-clause consideration.
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clauses 2 to 73, pages 1 to 61 in Part 1, relating to the Northwest Territories Act carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clauses 74 to 77, pages 61 to 69 in Part 2, relating to amendments to the Territorial Lands Act carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clauses 78 to 111, pages 69 to 92 in Part 2, relating to the Northwest Territories Waters Act carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clauses 112 to 253, pages 92 to 229 in Part 2, relating to the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall clause 1, which contains the short title, carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the title carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Shall the bill as amended carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Sorry, I said "amended.'' I want to withdraw that.
Shall the bill carry?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: Does the committee wish to consider appending observations to the report? Agreed?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
The Chair: We may now proceed in camera to discuss the text of the observations and consideration of the draft report. Is it agreed that we go in camera?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
(The committee continued in camera.)