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Bill C-55

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Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon Land

Application to Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land

3. (1) Subject to this section, this Act applies within the primary use area described in Annex A of the Transboundary Agreement as if

    (a) the references to settlement land, category B settlement land, fee simple settlement land and undeveloped settlement land were references to Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land described in Annex B of the Transboundary Agreement;

    (b) the references to traditional territory were references to the primary use area;

    (c) the references to a Yukon first nation, other than the reference in the definition ``Council for Yukon Indians'' in section 2 and in paragraph (4)(b), were references to the Gwich'in Tribal Council; and

    (d) the references to a Yukon Indian person were references to a Tetlit Gwich'in as defined in the Transboundary Agreement.

Provisions not applicable

(2) Subsection 31(1), sections 58 and 63 and paragraphs 1(g) and 2(1)(f) of Schedule II do not apply in respect of Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land.

Hearing of applications

(3) An application in respect of Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land shall be heard in Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, unless the parties agree otherwise.

Compensation for expropriation

(4) In making an order under section 55 in respect of the expropriation of Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land for the construction, maintenance and operation of a hydro-electric or water storage facility, the Board shall not

    (a) take into consideration the cultural or other special value to the Gwich'in Tribal Council of the land or any land to be provided as compensation for the expropriation; or

    (b) fix compensation for improvements to the Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land in an amount that, together with all other compensation for improvements provided to Tetlit Gwich'in and Yukon first nations in respect of the facility whether pursuant to such an order or otherwise, would exceed three per cent of the cost of construction of the facility.

Transfer of land

(5) Where land within the primary use area described in Annex A of the Transboundary Agreement is to be transferred, pursuant to an order of the Board or as a result of negotiation, to the Gwich'in Tribal Council as compensation for the expropriation of Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land, the land shall, on transfer, become Tetlit Gwich'in Yukon land.

Inconsistencies

Inconsistency between final agreement and Act

4. (1) Where there is any inconsistency or conflict between a final agreement and this Act, the agreement prevails to the extent of the inconsistency or conflict.

Inconsistency between Transboundar y Agreement and Act

(2) Where there is any inconsistency or conflict between the Transboundary Agreement and this Act, the Agreement prevails to the extent of the inconsistency or conflict.

Inconsistency between order and Act or document

5. Where there is any inconsistency or conflict between an order of the Board respecting access and a requirement imposed by or under any Act, or a licence, permit or other document made or issued under such an Act, that regulates the activity for which the access is obtained, the Act or document prevails to the extent of the inconsistency or conflict.

APPLICATION

Application of Parts I and IV

6. For greater certainty, Parts I and IV apply where the Board exercises a power or performs a duty or function conferred or imposed on it by or under any other Act of Parliament.

HER MAJESTY

Binding on Her Majesty

7. This Act is binding on Her Majesty in right of Canada or a province.

PART I

YUKON SURFACE RIGHTS BOARD

Establishment and Organization of Board

Establishment

8. (1) There is hereby established a board, to be called the Yukon Surface Rights Board, consisting of a Chairperson and not less than two or more than ten other members to be appointed by the Minister.

Odd number

(2) The Minister shall make such appointments as are necessary to ensure that an odd number of members holds office at any time.

Appointment of Chairperson

9. (1) The Chairperson shall be appointed on the recommendation of the Board.

Appointment of other members

(2) Half of the members, other than the Chairperson, shall be appointed on the nomination of the Council for Yukon Indians.

Residency qualification

10. (1) A majority of the members appointed on the nomination of the Council for Yukon Indians and a majority of the other members must be resident in the Yukon Territory.

Effect of ceasing to be resident

(2) If the Minister determines that a member ceases to be resident in the Yukon Territory and that the condition imposed by subsection (1) is not satisfied, the appointment of the member is terminated as of the date the member receives written notification from the Minister that the determination has been made.

No disqualificatio n

(3) No person is disqualified from being appointed or continuing as a member of the Board or of a panel of the Board by reason only of being a Yukon Indian person or having an interest in land in the Yukon Territory.

Term of office

11. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a member shall be appointed to hold office for a term of three years.

Term of first members

(2) The first members appointed on the nomination of the Council for Yukon Indians shall be appointed for such term, not exceeding three years, as the Council may specify and the other first members shall be appointed for such term, not exceeding three years, as the Minister may determine.

Tenure

(3) A member holds office during good behaviour, but may be removed by the Minister for cause or for a ground set out in the by-laws of the Board made pursuant to paragraph 18(a).

Vacancy

12. If the office of a member becomes vacant during the term of the member, the Minister may, on the conditions under section 9 on which that member was appointed, appoint a person to that office for the remainder of the term.

Reappointmen t

13. A member is eligible to be reappointed to the Board in any capacity.

Duties of Chairperson

14. The Chairperson is the chief executive officer of the Board and has such powers, duties and functions as are prescribed by the by-laws of the Board.

Remuneration

15. (1) Each member shall be paid such fees or other remuneration as the Treasury Board may fix.

Expenses

(2) Each member shall be paid such travel and living expenses incurred by the member while absent from the member's ordinary place of residence in the course of performing duties under this Act as are consistent with Treasury Board directives for public servants.

Workers compensation

(3) A member is deemed to be an employee for the purposes of the Government Employees Compensation Act and to be employed in the public service of Canada for the purposes of any regulation made pursuant to section 9 of the Aeronautics Act.

Head Office and Meetings

Head office

16. The head office of the Board shall be at Whitehorse or at such other place in the Yukon Territory as the Governor in Council may designate.

Business meetings

17. (1) The meetings of the Board shall be held at such times and at such places in the Yukon Territory as the Board considers necessary or desirable for the proper conduct of its business.

Participation by telephone

(2) Subject to the by-laws of the Board, any member may participate in a business meeting by means of telephone or other communications facilities that are likely to enable all persons participating in the meeting to hear each other, and a member so participating is deemed for all purposes of this Act to be present at that meeting.

By-laws

By-laws

18. The Board may make by-laws

    (a) specifying grounds for removal of members in addition to the grounds for removal for cause generally recognized by law;

    (b) respecting the assignment of members to panels of the Board; and

    (c) generally, respecting the conduct and management of the internal administrative affairs of the Board.

General Powers

Staff

19. The Board may employ such officers and employees and engage the services of such agents, advisors and consultants as are necessary for the proper conduct of its business and may fix the terms and conditions of their employment or engagement and pay their remuneration.

Government facilities and information

20. In exercising its powers or performing its duties or functions under this or any other Act of Parliament, the Board may, where appropriate, use the services and facilities of departments, boards and agencies of a Government and may obtain from any such department, board or agency, any information that is required to exercise those powers or perform those duties or functions.

Property and contracts

21. (1) The Board may, for the purposes of conducting its business,

    (a) acquire personal property in the name of the Board and dispose of the property; and

    (b) enter into contracts in the name of the Board.

Legal proceedings

(2) Actions, suits or other legal proceedings in respect of any right or obligation acquired or incurred by the Board may be brought or taken by or against the Board in any court that would have jurisdiction if the Board were a corporation.

Status

Not an agent

22. The Board is not an agent of Her Majesty in right of Canada.

Financial Provisions

Annual budget

23. (1) The Board shall annually submit a budget for the next following fiscal year to the Minister for consideration.

Funding for training and language

(2) The Board shall consider including in its annual budget funding to allow the Board to provide the members of the Board with cross-cultural orientation and education and other training for the purpose of improving the ability of the members to carry out their responsibilities as members as well as funding for facilities to allow members to carry out their responsibilities in their traditional languages.

Accounts

(3) The Board shall maintain books of account and records in relation thereto in accordance with accounting principles recommended by the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants or its successor.

Consolidated financial statements

(4) The Board shall, within such time after the end of each fiscal year as the Minister specifies, prepare consolidated financial statements in respect of that fiscal year in accordance with the accounting principles referred to in subsection (3) and shall include in them such information or statements as are required in support of the consolidated financial statements.

Audit

(5) The accounts, financial statements and financial transactions of the Board shall be audited annually by the Auditor General of Canada and a report of the audit shall be made to the Board and forthwith sent to the Minister.

Reports

Special reports

24. On request of the Minister, the Board shall report to the Minister on

    (a) the operations of the Board;

    (b) the number of applications made to the Board;

    (c) the orders made by the Board; or

    (d) such other matters as the Minister may specify.

Annual report

25. (1) The Board shall, within three months after the end of each fiscal year, submit to the Minister a report on the activities of the Board in that year.

Publication

(2) The Board shall publish the annual report.