Environment committee  In the case of the Kaska Dena Council, Canada has accepted their land claim for negotiation. Where they are exactly in the process, we would have to check with aboriginal affairs, but usually it takes a fair amount of time to conclude them.

Environment committee  The important point here is that they were consulted on this proposed park, and they were supportive.

Environment committee  First of all, Mr. Bevington, we are currently in negotiations with the Dehcho First Nations to work out an agreement. The difference between the Dehcho and the Sahtu is that the Sahtu has a settled land claim agreement that directs us to negotiate an agreement prior to establishm

Environment committee  In 1988 the Government of Canada, through Parliament, and the Government of Nova Scotia, through its legislature, passed the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Resources Accord Implementation Act. In the federal act, section 4 was clear that this act takes precedence over othe

Environment committee  I'm sorry, I missed the first part of the second component.

Environment committee  If I understand your question, it pertains to seismic, and the fact that we make recommendations.... I'm sorry.

Environment committee  Yes, there has. In the late 1960s and early 1970s there were approximately 10 wells drilled on Sable Island, including one in the middle. There were a number, I believe, on the west end of the island, and some of the remnants are still there. That's why one of the activities is

Environment committee  That's covered under one of the four items. The first one is to provide access to existing wellheads. That's the one that's covered there.

Environment committee  I'm not aware of what exact studies were done that looked at the impact of those particular things. I am aware they didn't find anything, hence those wells were abandoned.

Environment committee  Certainly, when you listen to some of the presentations by a number of academics, including those at Dalhousie University, they have undertaken a fair amount of research. In fact, given the fact that Sable Island was quite settled from time to time, a number of exotic species wer

Environment committee  Again, we need to point to the fact that it is the role of the Offshore Petroleum Board to look at these kinds of issues and be responsible for the drilling outside. I would like to make the point, though, that from time to time, there are some environmental needs for seismic o

Environment committee  It's important to clarify that it is the policy of the board that there's no drilling from the surface. When they put out a call for bids to an oil company...when they submit a bid, they cannot recommend or seek authorization to drill. It is a policy. This legislation changes tha

Environment committee  To answer your question, the area beyond the one nautical mile buffer zone is under the authority of the Offshore Petroleum Board. The area is administered and managed, as it has been for 25 years, under the accord implementation acts. It is possible that companies can bring to t

Environment committee  That's correct. As we say, we will be administering the national park reserve under the Canada National Parks Act. The accord implementation acts continue to apply, although with the restrictions for Sable Island that Bill S-15 has.

Environment committee  I will express myself in English in the interest of being more concise. Again, to go back to the 1999 program, not just to theorize, what was fundamental to it was that in a seismic program, you have two things: a sound source and a receiving device. In terms of the sound sou