Madam Speaker, I rise to address the House on third and final reading on Bill C-6, the Mackenzie Valley resource management act.
I want to say again how pleased I am to be sponsoring this proposed legislation.
Bill C-6 will have important ramifications for the people and the environment of the Mackenzie Valley and I am delighted to have played a role in bringing it before the House.
I am also delighted that we have finally come to this point in the legislative process.
Although Bill C-6 was tabled in the House only a month ago, this legislation has been five years in the making. It previously died on the order paper as Bill C-80 when the election was called.
It has been the subject of one of the most extensive consultation processes I have ever witnessed in government, with 35 drafts of the bill developed and distributed for comments and review.
An information package on the proposed resource management regime was widely distributed across the Mackenzie Valley.
Federal officials have held literally dozens of meetings with aboriginal leaders, the territorial government, the resource industries and the public.
As a result of this exhaustive process we have before us today a better bill. This is a lengthy, complex and technical piece of legislation but it is also a solid bill that will withstand the test of time.
I would like to take a few minutes to acknowledge the many groups and individuals who have contributed to Bill C-6 which, as hon. members know, will establish an integrated resource co-management regime and environmental assessment process for the Mackenzie Valley.
I want to begin with the leaders of the Gwich'in, and the Sahtu Denes and Metis of Northern Mackenzie Valley. Bill C-6 is the logical step following the land claim settlements signed by these native groups in 1992 and 1994.
Despite a three year delay in the adoption of this legislation, the leaders of these communities showed remarkable patience. They understood the need to proceed with wide consultations, to accommodate various interests and to make sure the legislation is fair.
The Northwest Territories administration also deserves special recognition for its role in establishing a resource management system which allows for a decision-making process involving both regional and valley-wide levels. The territorial administration helped make sure that the new system reflects today's realities and needs while respecting the close relationships the native peoples have with the lands and the waters of the Mackenzie Valley as a whole.
Resource industries also made a big contribution to the proposed bill. They recognize that it is necessary to evolve with time in the Mackenzie Valley, and to adapt to new ways of doing business and managing the environment. Bill C-6 will provide them with the certainty and coherence they need to realize their investments in the valley, investments that will create jobs, increase government revenues and make Northerners economically more independent.
I also wish to commend the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Affairs and her predecessor for having developed a bill which will provide a just balance between the numerous different interests in the Mackenzie Valley. Thanks to their perseverance, Bill C-6 will reach its main goal, which is to protect the fragile environment of the Mackenzie Valley, while at the same time allowing the government to fulfil its constitutional obligation towards the Gwich'in, the Metis and the Sahtu Dene.
Finally, I would be remiss if I did not commend my colleagues of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development for the important work they carried out. As my distinguished colleagues know, the committee undertook a comprehensive study of Bill C-6 before Christmas recess. Several witnesses offered convincing testimony and the committee was able to benefit from different point of views and discussions between its members.
Again, we have before us a better bill than the initial version. Thanks to the amendments proposed by the government and the standing committee, and to the support of the territorial government, the mining industry and some native groups, Bill C-6 has been improved and made more precise.
These amendments have improved the clauses of the bill dealing with consultations, bringing greater openness and transparency.
These amendments will increase the participation of natives, including the first nations which have not already signed territorial land agreements, in the joint resource management regime.
The amendments will facilitate the transition process to the new regime by providing an additional protection to the present users of lands and water.
The amendments have also allowed us to include in the bill some guarantees that its implementation will cause no prejudice to future negotiations on land claims and self government.
I would like to quickly recap the key elements of Bill C-6 so that hon. members can appreciate the importance of this legislation to the people and the environment of the Mackenzie Valley.
Hon. members will recall that Bill C-6 will establish six boards of public government to administer the new resource management and environmental assessment regime. Two of these boards, the Mackenzie Valley land and water board and the environmental impact review board, will have jurisdiction throughout the valley. The other four will be regional institutions responsible for land use planning and land and water issues in the two settlement areas.
Bill C-6 also provides for the establishment of additional regional boards by order in council as land claims agreements are finalized with other aboriginal groups in the Mackenzie Valley.
The need for a co-ordinated and integrated approach is an underlying principle of Bill C-6. The Mackenzie Valley must be viewed as a single ecosystem, not just a collection of political or demographic regions. Activities that take place upstream can and do affect communities downstream. Decision making processes must take into account what is right for the entire ecosystem and all its communities and residents.
Even First Nations that stand in opposition to Bill C-6 have not disputed the need for a single valley wide system. There is essentially unanimous agreement that we cannot have several different resource management systems in place in the valley. It simply will not work.
The question is not whether to proceed with an integrated approach, but when. Some First Nations that have not yet signed land claims agreements would like us to wait. The government's view is that further delays are not only unwarranted but could put Mackenzie Valley's environment at undue risk. Clearly the time to act is now.
A single integrated system is also the best way to proceed in terms of cost and efficiency. Bill C-6 will ensure regulatory consistency between the settlement areas and adjacent lands. Virtually all lands in the Mackenzie Valley will be subject to the same environmental review requirements in keeping with this government's commitment to streamline environmental processes, avoid duplication of effort and reduce costs to industry and others.
One of the main features of the new system is that native peoples are assured they will have a role to play. The first nations get to designate half the members of the new resource management boards, with the federal and provincial governments designating the other half.
Therefore, the various native groups living in the Mackenzie Valley area have the assurance that their traditional activities and lifestyles will be able to coexist with other forms of economic development. At the same time, non-native valley residents will have the opportunity to voice their concerns through the management boards and the hearing and public consultation process provided for in Bill C-6.
I am also glad to point out that the legislation follows up on a recommendation made by the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, promoting the implementation of a co-management system in the Mackenzie Valley. Such an approach would be impossible without high levels of respect, recognition and mutual responsibility, all principles on which is based Gathering Strength , a native action plan the government announced recently.
From a different perspective, Bill C-6 is another step towards the transfer of federal responsibilities and programs to the territorial government. The Northwest Territories Water Board, which is currently administered by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs, will be integrated into the new Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board.
As for the new Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board, it will take over from the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs in co-ordinating and conducting environmental assessments. Once Bill C-6 is passed, the department will no longer be involved in issuing land use permits.
In other words, Bill C-6 will put in the hands of northerners the decision making process for issues directly affecting the Mackenzie Valley lands and waters. The new system shows a high degree of sensitivity and accountability to northerners and reflects both good planning and sound public management.
In spite of the major changes that will result from Bill C-6, the proposed legislation will not cause any disruption in the valley. It is based on existing regulations, with which industry is familiar.
It neither extinguishes nor overrides any right that aboriginal people of the Mackenzie Valley have. It will not take precedence over constitutionally protected land claims settlements or the Indian Act.
Under the new system, aboriginal people will have a much greater say in the decision making process than they do now.
In addition, it provides for land and water use applications to be processed quickly and fairly. It will also ensure that clearly defined procedures are used for the purposes of environmental assessment and protection throughout the Mackenzie Valley.
In closing, I would ask hon. members to consider the words of Richard Nerysoo, president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council. When he gave evidence before the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, Mr. Nerysoo said “Bill C-6 sets up a state of the art framework for land and water management in the north that is second to none in the Canadian north and for that matter in the world”. A state of the art framework that is second to none in the world. These are not the words of a government spokesperson. They are the words of a respected aboriginal leader whose people will live with Bill C-6 on a day to day basis. They are words of pride, hope and confidence.
I urge hon. members on all sides of the House to recognize that Bill C-6 is a necessary, practical and responsible approach to resource management in the Mackenzie Valley. It has widespread support in the valley because it is a balanced and workable regime and because it will achieve its stated goal. It deserves the same level of support from this House.