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Bill C-23

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Purposes

Mandate

47. The purposes of the Board are to

    (a) assist first nations in developing the capacity to meet their financial management requirements;

    (b) assist first nations in their dealings with other governments respecting financial management, including matters of accountability and shared fiscal responsibility;

    (c) assist first nations in the development, implementation and improvement of financial relationships with financial institutions, business partners and other governments, to enable the economic and social development of first nations;

    (d) develop and support the application of general credit rating criteria to first nations;

    (e) provide review and audit services respecting first nation financial management;

    (f) provide assessment and certification services respecting first nation financial management and financial performance;

    (g) provide financial monitoring services respecting first nation financial management and financial performance;

    (h) provide co-management and third-party management services; and

    (i) provide advice, policy research and review and evaluative services on the development of fiscal arrangements between first nations' governments and other governments.

Functions and Powers

Review of financial management system

48. (1) On the request of the council of a first nation, the Board may review the first nation's financial management system or financial performance for compliance with the standards established under subsection 53(1).

Report

(2) On completion of a review under subsection (1), the Board shall provide to the first nation a report setting out

    (a) the scope of the review undertaken; and

    (b) an opinion as to the extent to which the first nation was in compliance with the standards.

Certificate

(3) Where after completing a review under subsection (1) the Board is of the opinion that the first nation was in compliance with the standards, it shall issue to the first nation a certificate to that effect.

Revocation of certificate

(4) The Board may, on giving notice to a council, revoke a certificate issued under subsection (3) if, on the basis of financial or other information available to the Board, it is of the opinion that the basis upon which the certificate was issued has materially changed.

Form and content

(5) The Board may determine the form and content of certificates issued under subsection (3), including any restrictions as to the purposes for which, and the persons by whom, they are intended to be used.

Remedial measures required

(6) If a borrowing member's certificate is revoked, the borrowing member shall, without delay, take such measures as are required to re-establish its certification.

Opinion final

(7) An opinion of the Board referred to in this section is final and conclusive and is not subject to appeal.

Required intervention

49. On receipt of a notice from the First Nations Tax Commission under paragraph 31(3)(b) or from the First Nations Finance Authority under subsection 84(4), the Board shall either require the first nation to enter into a co-management arrangement in accordance with section 50 or assume third-party management of the first nation's local revenues in accordance with section 51, as the Board sees fit.

Imposed co-manageme nt

50. (1) The Board may, on giving notice to the council of a first nation, require the first nation to enter into a co-management arrangement in respect of the first nation's local revenues, including its local revenue account,

    (a) if, in the opinion of the Board, there is a serious risk that the first nation will default on an obligation to the First Nations Finance Authority; or

    (b) on receipt of a request or demand to do so under paragraph 31(3)(b) or subsection 84(4).

Powers

(2) Under a co-management arrangement, the Board may

    (a) recommend amendments to a law of the first nation made under this Act;

    (b) recommend changes to the first nation's expenditures or budgets;

    (c) recommend improvements to the first nation's financial management system;

    (d) recommend changes to the delivery of programs and services;

    (e) order that expenditures of local revenues of the first nation be approved by, or paid with cheques co-signed by, a manager appointed by the Board; and

    (f) exercise any powers delegated to the Board under a law of the first nation or under an agreement between the first nation and the Board or the first nation and the First Nations Finance Authority.

Termination by Board

(3) The Board may terminate a co-management arrangement with a first nation on giving notice to its council that the Board is of the opinion that

    (a) there is no longer a serious risk that the first nation will default on an obligation to the First Nations Finance Authority;

    (b) where the first nation was in default of a payment obligation to the First Nations Finance Authority, the first nation has remedied the default;

    (c) a co-management arrangement requested or demanded under paragraph 31(3)(b) or subsection 84(4) is no longer required; or

    (d) third-party management of the first nation's local revenues is required.

Opinion final

(4) An opinion given by the Board under this section is final and conclusive and is not subject to appeal.

Notice

(5) The Board shall advise the First Nations Finance Authority and the First Nations Tax Commission of the commencement or termination of a co-management arrangement.

Third-party management

51. (1) The Board may, on giving notice to the council of a first nation and to the Minister, assume management of the first nation's local revenues, including its local revenue account,

    (a) if, in the opinion of the Board, a co-management arrangement under section 50 has not been effective;

    (b) if, in the opinion of the Board, there is a serious risk that the first nation will default on an obligation to the First Nations Finance Authority; or

    (c) on receipt of a request or demand to do so under paragraph 31(3)(b) or subsection 84(4).

Powers

(2) Where the Board assumes third-party management of the local revenues of a first nation, the Board has the exclusive right to

    (a) subject to subsection (2.1), act in the place of the council of the first nation to make laws under paragraphs 4(1)(a) to (f);

    (b) act in the place of the council of the first nation under laws made under paragraphs 4(1)(a) to (e) and manage the first nation's local revenue account, including any necessary borrowing;

    (c) provide for the delivery of programs and services that are paid for out of local revenues;

    (d) assign rights or interests under subsection 4(7); and

    (e) exercise any powers delegated to the Board under a law of the first nation or an agreement between the first nation and the Board or between the first nation and the First Nations Finance Authority.

Consent of council required

(2.1) The Board shall not make a law under paragraph 4(1)(f) that delegates a power to a person or body to whom a power was not delegated at the time the Board assumed third-party management of the local revenues of a first nation, unless the council of the first nation gives its consent.

Prohibition

(2.2) The council of the first nation shall not, during the time that the board assumes third-party management of the first nation's local revenues, repeal any law made under paragraph 4(1)(g).

Review every six months

(3) Where the Board has assumed third-party management of a first nation's local revenues, it shall review the need for third-party management at least once every six months and advise the First Nations Finance Authority, the First Nations Tax Commission and the council of the first nation of the results of its review.

Termination by Board

(4) The Board may terminate third-party management of a first nation's local revenues, on giving notice to the council of the first nation, if

    (a) it is of the opinion that there is no longer a serious risk that the first nation will default on an obligation to the First Nations Finance Authority and the Authority consents to the termination in writing;

    (b) where the first nation was in default of an obligation to the First Nations Finance Authority, it is of the opinion that the first nation has remedied the default and the Authority consents to the termination in writing; or

    (c) it is of the opinion that the situation for which third-party management of the first nation's local revenues was required under paragraph 31(3)(b) or subsection 84(4) has been remedied.

Opinion final

(5) An opinion given by the Board under this section is final and conclusive and is not subject to appeal.

Notice

(6) The Board shall advise the First Nations Finance Authority and First Nations Tax Commission of the assumption or termination of third-party management of a first nation's local revenues.

Required information

52. At the request of the Board, a first nation that has made a local revenue law shall provide to the Board any information about the first nation's financial management system and financial performance that the Board requires for a decision regarding a co-management arrangement or third-party management of the first nation's local revenues.

Standards and Procedures

Standards

53. (1) The Board may establish standards, not inconsistent with the regulations, respecting

    (a) the form and content of laws made under section 8;

    (b) approvals of the Board under Part 1;

    (c) certification of first nations under section 48; and

    (d) financial reporting under subsection 13(1).

Procedures

(2) The Board may establish procedures respecting

    (a) the submission for approval and approval of laws made under section 8;

    (b) issuance of a certificate under subsection 48(3); and

    (c) implementation or termination of a co-management arrangement or third-party management of a first nation's local revenues.

Statutory Instruments Act

(3) The Statutory Instruments Act does not apply to a standard established under subsection (1) or a procedure established under subsection (2).

First Nations Gazette

(4) All laws made under section 8 and approved by the Board and all standards established by the Board under subsection (1) shall be published in the First Nations Gazette.

Regulations

Regulations

54. The Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister made having regard to any representations by the Board, make regulations

    (a) respecting the implementation of a co-management arrangement or third-party management of a first nation's local revenues, including the obligations of affected first nations to provide access to financial records; and

    (b) fixing fees that the Board may charge for services, including fees to first nations for co-management and third-party management services, and the manner in which such fees may be recovered.

PART 4