Mr. Speaker, I have only a few comments to make at third reading of Bill C-55, Yukon Surface Rights Board Act.
It gives me a considerable amount of pleasure to see this bill, having come through all stages, and be able to say a few words at the conclusion of the debate.
At the same time I want to congratulate the parties that were involved in the negotiation of the agreement and in the execution of the legislation that has led us to this point. A couple of very specific congratulations, one to my own leader, the member for Yukon. The member for Yukon has been actively engaged in the discussion, debate and negotiations leading up to this point today.
I commend to the House the work that she has been able to do for her constituents, members of the Council for Yukon Indians, members of the communities of Yukon, all residents of Yukon. The member for Yukon has spent a considerable amount of time relaying information in one direction, discussing with ministers, parliamentary secretaries, committee chairpersons throughout the course of the debates on all three parts of Yukon self-government and land claims process which concludes the proclamation of this act.
I was very pleased to have been in a number of meetings that the member for Yukon initiated and attended. I am very pleased to have been able to work with her throughout this process as the New Democratic Party's aboriginal affairs and northern development critic.
I also want to congratulate the people of the Council for Yukon Indians and all of the people from Yukon who have worked so hard for so long to ensure that this day would come. A lot of changes have been made in people's positions and attitudes over the years, that this idea has been in front of not only the people of Yukon but now the people of all of Canada. I congratulate all of those who over the years have been involved so diligently in this process.
I would like to now spend just a couple of minutes indicating to those who are tuning in this afternoon for the first time some idea of what is in front of us on this bill that we are concluding today and to indicate to the House that I and my party are very pleased to support the legislation in front of us, just as we were pleased to support the previous two bills that are part of this three part package.
We know that Bill C-55 is a companion piece of legislation to what was Bill C-33, Yukon First Nations final land claims settlement act and Bill C-34, Yukon First Nations self-government agreement. Both acts were passed in the spring session of this Parliament but they will not come into effect until this act, Bill C-55, is concluded.
Bill C-55 establishes a process in Yukon for obtaining access to private and public lands based on models used in the western provinces. I come from Saskatchewan, a province that successfully negotiated a land entitlement agreement with a large number of the aboriginal communities in our province. I am very pleased to be able to see that models which were discussed in Saskatchewan are being useful in the negotiations of agreements in other locations.
The bill in front of us also establishes Yukon surface rights board to resolve disputes between parties guaranteeing access to vast holdings of private land.
The bill is very technical. Anything that subjects parties to an agreement has technical aspects to it. In essence Bill C-55 provides guidelines whereby land disputes will be settled by the surface rights board. Under the legislation a person may apply to the board for the arbitration of a matter only after that person has first attempted to negotiate an agreement with the other party.
The board will have jurisdiction over other matters such as the disputes between persons holding surface rights and those holding subsurface rights, the amount of compensation for the expropriation of settlement land, and the amount of compensation for pockets of government lands retained within settlement lands.
If parties cannot reach agreement in a matter relating to access to lands the board has the power to establish the terms and conditions of a right of access, award compensation for the right of access and for damage resulting from that access, and periodically review orders previously made by the board with regard to land disputes. Orders by the board are final and binding. Final decisions are enforceable through the Supreme
Court of Yukon territory. The board will not retain any permanent staff and will meet only as needed.
As well, the bill confirms the legal rights of minors and is said to address concerns raised over the need for certainty pertaining to land title in Yukon. Greater certainty pertaining to land title will facilitate exploration and resource development in Yukon, matters that we know go to the heart of the economy of the territory.
I would also like to indicate that final passage of Bill C-55 clears the way for implementation of four Yukon First Nations land claim settlements already negotiated and will trigger financial compensation agreements already signed with these four individual First Nations.
Earlier in the debates on this bill when my leader, the member for Yukon, spoke she indicated a couple of things that I would like to repeat for the benefit of the House as we close the debate today.
I quote the member for Yukon representing her constituents' interests in this bill. She stated in the House of Commons on November 1, 1994: "Bill C-55 ensures that all Yukoners, aboriginal and non-aboriginal people, have the tools to move forward with the certainty that is necessary for business with the respect and dignity accorded to First Nations in Yukon and that will lead toward self-sufficiency for Yukon territory.
"What we are showing can be done within Canada is that we can respect the languages, the cultures and the historic traditions of all peoples within a certain territory and we can do it under the flag of Canada".
These are very important words looking at a long history of negotiation of a very difficult matter that now seems to have been resolved quite peacefully and satisfactorily.
We in the New Democratic Party are proud of the work of all those who have been involved in this process and we are pleased today to commit ourselves to agreement on Bill C-55.