Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Feb. 5th, 2013

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Good.

The environment committee was my previous posting, and to an extent the environment is where my interests lie. Could you tell me the importance in general of land use plans in environmental protection and how the two are related?

[Paul Quassa]

As we said earlier, I think we've spent about 90 days now touring some Nunavut communities. We're planning to go to each and every Nunavut community.

We have heard how important land use planning is within the Nunavut settlement area. The communities do want to ensure that the areas they want protected are protected, or that the areas they wanted developed are developed. I believe that's very much part of what the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement states there—the importance of land use planning within our territory.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Right—it's not just about what someone thinks should be protected versus not protected—but I'm asking about actual, objective environmental protection and how land use planning can help do that.

[Adrian Boyd]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

For an example, there's an area outside Pangniqtuuq, in Pangnirtung in Nunavut, that is so important to people for the beluga whale that they want it protected, with no development in this area. They have been unable to get government to help support managed land use in that area. We're able to do that.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

You can do it through land use planning.

[Adrian Boyd]

Absolutely. The land use plan can restrict access to subsurface lands and can restrict access to marine areas. The land use plan has great influence over managing areas special to Inuit and all Canadians.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Thank you. Sometimes an example is the best way to make a point. I appreciate that.

How does the commission believe this bill will contribute to and enhance environmental protection? Obviously one of the objectives of the bill is to protect ecosystems in Nunavut. Specifically, how does this bill do that?

[Adrian Boyd]

The land claims agreement sets out the process by which land use plans apply to environmental protection. With the land claims agreement closely aligned with the bill, that is replicated and brought forward. It enhances the process through that.

[Stella Ambler, Conservative, Mississauga South, ON]

Good.

Would you agree that overall what we say here seems to be that no one got exactly what they wanted from this legislation, that obviously there are competing interests, but that what we have in this bill is a complete legislative package that basically everyone could sign onto by being three-quarters happy, or four-fifths? Would you agree to that assessment of the bill?

[Paul Quassa]

Yes, I believe so.

Sharon, do you want to add a bit?

[Sharon Ehaloak]

The commission supports this bill. We do think it's a solid piece of legislation. There are some inadequacies, some pieces that we feel are missing. To say that everybody didn't get what they wanted.... I think the basis of the bill is very strong, and it gives us a threshold for moving forward.

I don't know if Adrian wants to add anything.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

We've run out of time.

We want to thank our witnesses today; we appreciate your testimony and certainly appreciate your contribution to the review of this bill.

Colleagues, we will suspend for about three minutes and then we'll move in camera for committee business for a few minutes. We'll have some updates and some discussions about moving forward.

The meeting is suspended.