RECOMMENDATION

His Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances, in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled ``An Act respecting the water resources of Nunavut''.

SUMMARY

This enactment implements the water management provisions of the land claims agreement between the Inuit of the Nunavut Settlement Area and Her Majesty the Queen in right of Canada. It establishes a new institution of public government, the Nunavut Water Board, the members of which are appointed by the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

The Nunavut Water Board is given powers that are similar to those given to the Northwest Territories Water Board pursuant to the Northwest Territories Waters Act. The Board's primary function is to license uses of water and deposits of waste. The Board is required, in the exercise of that licensing power, to consider any detrimental effects of a potential use of waters or a deposit of waste on other water users and is to hold, where appropriate, public hearings.

The enactment incorporates the particular requirements of the Agreement. The main one is that the Board is prohibited from issuing, renewing or amending a licence in respect of a use of waters or a deposit of waste that may substantially alter the quality, quantity or rate of flow of waters through Inuit-owned land unless the applicant has entered into an agreement with the Inuit to compensate for any loss or damage that may be caused by the alteration or the Board has made a determination of the appropriate compensation. The enactment also recognizes the special rights of Inuit in water on or flowing through their land.

The Nunavut Water Board is required to work closely with the Nunavut Planning Commission in the development of land use plans that affect water and the Nunavut Impact Review Board in relation to the assessment of environmental and socio-economic impacts of water-related project proposals in Nunavut.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Clause 97: These amendments are consequential on the establishment of a territory of Canada, to be known as Nunavut, by section 3 of the Nunavut Act, S.C. 1993, c. 28. That section, which is not yet in force, will come into force pursuant to subsection 79(1) of that Act on April 1, 1999 or on such earlier day as the Governor in Council may fix by order.

Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act

Clause 99: The definition ``analyst'' in section 2 reads as follows:

``analyst'' means a person designated as an analyst pursuant to the Canada Water Act, the Yukon Waters Act or the Northwest Territories Waters Act;

Northern Canada Power Commission (Share Issuance and Sale Authorization) Act

Clause 100: Section 12 reads as follows:

12. The Minister may, with the approval of the Governor in Council, make an order exempting the Corporation as continued pursuant to section 10 from the requirement to pay fees for the right to use waters or deposit waste pursuant to a licence under the Northwest Territories Waters Act.

Northwest Territories Waters Act

Clause 101 : (1) The definition ``instream user'' in section 2 reads as follows:

``instream user'' means a person using waters, otherwise than as described in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of the definition ``use'', to earn income or for subsistence purposes;

(2) The definition ``territorial lands'' in section 2 reads as follows:

``territorial lands'' means lands in the Northwest Territories that are vested in Her Majesty in right of Canada or of which the Government of Canada has power to dispose;

(3) and (4) New.

Clause 102: Section 7 reads as follows:

7. With the approval of the Governor in Council and subject to any agreement entered into pursuant to section 5 or 11 of the Canada Water Act, the Minister may, on behalf of the Government of Canada, enter into an agreement with a provincial or territorial government providing for the management of any waters

    (a) situated partially in the Northwest Territories and partially in a province or the Yukon Territory; or

    (b) flowing between the Northwest Territories and a province or the Yukon Territory.

Clause 103: (1) The relevant portion of subsection 8(1) reads as follows:

8. (1) Except as authorized pursuant to the Dominion Water Power Act, and subject to subsection (2), no person shall use, or permit the use of, waters in a water management area except

(2) The relevant portion of subsection 8(2) reads as follows:

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of the use of waters

    ...

    (b) by an instream user; or

Clause 104: Subsection 9(1) reads as follows:

9. (1) Except in accordance with the conditions of a licence or as authorized by regulations made under paragraph 33(1)(n), no person shall, subject to subsection (2), deposit or permit the deposit of waste

    (a) in any waters in a water management area; or

    (b) in any other place under conditions in which the waste, or any other waste that results from the deposit of that waste, may enter any waters in a water management area.

Clause 105: Section 12 reads as follows:

12. The objects of the Board are to provide for the conservation, development and utilization of waters in a manner that will provide the optimum benefit therefrom for all Canadians and for the residents of the Northwest Territories in particular.

Clause 106: The relevant portion of subsection 14(4) reads as follows:

(4) Where an application for a licence is made, the Board shall not issue a licence unless the applicant satisfies the Board that

    ...

    (b) compensation that the Board considers appropriate has been or will be paid by the applicant to any other applicant described in clause (a)(i)(B) but to whom paragraph (a) does not apply, and to

    ...

      (iii) instream users,

Clause 107: The relevant portion of subsection 15(2) reads as follows:

(2) In fixing the conditions of a licence, the Board shall make all reasonable efforts to minimize any adverse effects of the issuance of the licence on

    ...

    (c) instream users,

    ...

who are such licensees, users, depositors, owners, occupiers or holders, whether in or outside the water management area to which the application relates, at the time when the Board is considering the fixing of those conditions, who would be adversely affected by the use of waters or deposit of waste proposed by the applicant, and who have notified the Board in response to the notice of the application given pursuant to subsection 23(1) and within the time period stipulated in that notice for making representations to the Board.

Clause 108: New.

Clause 109: The relevant portion of subsection 21(1) reads as follows:

21. (1) The Board may, where satisfied that it would be in the public interest, hold a public hearing in connection with any matter relating to its objects, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

    ...

    (b) an amendment to a type A licence pursuant to which neither the use, flow or quality of waters nor the term of the licence would be altered; and

Clause 110: (1) The relevant portion of subsection 31(1) reads as follows:

31. (1) An applicant for a licence, or a licensee, may apply to the Board for permission from the Minister to expropriate, in accordance with the Expropriation Act, land or an interest in land in the Northwest Territories, and where the Minister, on the recommendation of the Board, is satisfied that

(2) Subsection 31(2) reads as follows:

(2) Where the Minister grants permission under subsection (1), the applicant or licensee shall so advise the appropriate minister in relation to Part I of the Expropriation Act.

(3) Subsection 31(3.4) reads as follows:

(3.4) Where the applicant or licensee, in mitigation of any injury or damage caused or likely to be caused to lands by an expropriation, undertakes

    (a) to abandon or grant, to the owner of the lands or a party interested in the lands, any portion of its lands or of the land being taken or any easement, servitude or privilege over or in respect of the land, and

    (b) to construct and maintain any work for the benefit of the owner or interested person,

and the owner or person interested accepts the undertaking, the undertaking is deemed to be an undertaking referred to in paragraph 28(1)(b) of the Expropriation Act, and it may be enforced by the Board as if it were a condition of the licensee's licence.

Clause 111: New.

Yukon Waters Act

Clause 113: (1) The definition ``instream user'' in section 2 reads as follows:

``instream user'' means a person using waters, otherwise than as described in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) of the definition ``use'', to earn income or for subsistence purposes;

(2) New.

Clause 114: The relevant portion of subsection 8(2) reads as follows:

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of the use of waters

    ...

    (b) by an instream user; or

Clause 115: The relevant portion of subsection 14(4) reads as follows:

(4) Where an application for a licence is made, the Board shall not issue a licence unless the applicant satisfies the Board that

    ...

    (b) compensation that the Board considers appropriate has been or will be paid by the applicant to any other applicant described in clause (a)(i)(B) but to whom paragraph (a) does not apply, and to

    ...

      (iii) instream users,

    ...

who were such licensees, users, depositors, owners, occupiers or holders, whether in or outside the water management area to which the application relates, at the time when the applicant filed an application with the Board in accordance with the regulations made under paragraphs 33(1)(d) and (e), who would be adversely affected by the use of waters or deposit of waste proposed by the applicant, and who have notified the Board in response to the notice of the application given pursuant to subsection 23(1) and within the time period stipulated in that notice for making representations to the Board;

Clause 116: The relevant portion of subsection 15(2) reads as follows:

(2) In fixing the conditions of a licence, the Board shall make all reasonable efforts to minimize any adverse effects of the issuance of the licence on

    ...

    (c) instream users,

    ...

who are such licensees, users, depositors, owners, occupiers or holders, whether in or outside the water management area to which the application relates, at the time when the Board is considering the fixing of those conditions, who would be adversely affected by the use of waters or deposit of waste proposed by the applicant, and who have notified the Board in response to the notice of the application given pursuant to subsection 23(1) and within the time period stipulated in that notice for making representations to the Board.

Clause 117: The relevant portion of subsection 21(1) reads as follows:

21. (1) The Board may, where satisfied that it would be in the public interest, hold a public hearing in connection with any matter relating to its objects, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing,

    ...

    (b) an amendment to a type A licence pursuant to which neither the use, flow or quality of waters nor the term of the licence would be altered; and

Clause 118: (1) Subsection 31(2) reads as follows:

(2) Where the Minister grants permission under subsection (1), the applicant or licensee shall so advise the appropriate minister in relation to Part I of the Expropriation Act.

(2) Subsection 31(3.4) reads as follows:

(3.4) Where the applicant or licensee, in mitigation of any injury or damage caused or likely to be caused to lands by an expropriation, undertakes

    (a) to abandon or grant, to the owner of the lands or a party interested in the lands, any portion of its lands or of the land being taken or any easement, servitude or privilege over or in respect of the land, and

    (b) to construct and maintain any work for the benefit of the owner or interested person,

and the owner or person interested accepts the undertaking, the undertaking is deemed to be an undertaking referred to in paragraph 28(1)(b) of the Expropriation Act, and it may be enforced by the Board as if it were a condition of the licensee's licence.