Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to the bill at third reading because it is of very great importance to the people of Nunavut. It establishes the water board and land surface rights tribunal as institutions of public government. This is another step along the way from where the land agreements at Nunavut ended and where full territorial public government is envisaged.
The legislation is not new in that the bill contains provisions that mirror provisions of the Northwest Territories Waters Act, the Yukon Waters Act, the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and other acts that have gradually devolved the ownership and responsibility for governance in the territories to the people of the territories.
The bill recognizes special rights for the Inuit concerning water in, on or flowing through their land as outlined in the agreement. It also prohibits the board from issuing, amending or renewing a water licence or a licence for the deposit of waste that may substantially affect the quality, quantity or flow of waters through Inuit owned land unless appropriate compensation for any adverse effects has been determined in advance.
The proposed bill complies with the other terms of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement. It authorizes the board to approve all water use and deposits of waste in Nunavut. It provides that the Inuit nominate four members of the water board, which is half.
It requires that the Inuktitut language be used by the board when requested. It requires the board to give due regard to Inuit culture, customs and knowledge in designing its rules of procedure and in setting out the factors that the board must consider in determining appropriate compensation when an approved project or activity may substantially affect water quality, quantity or flow.
It establishes the following water management functions that were not covered by the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement but were contained in the existing Northwest Territories Waters Act. For some years since the water board was established, these rules have been unclear and some difficulties in administration have appeared.
The bill indicates clearly the role of the minister and governor in council in licensing, in water planning, in the scope of conditions to be attached to any licence and who, other than the Inuit, is entitled to compensation.
It provides for inspection and enforcement. It provides a process for the appeal of licensing decisions. It should be noted that no additional resources are required to implement the above functions. They have all been carried out by the board in the interim.
The bill also recognizes that the water board must work closely with the Nunavut Planning Commission in the development of land use plans as they concern water. It must also liaise with the Nunavut Impact Review Board in assessing environmental and socioeconomic impacts of water related projects.
The hearings and operations of the board are open to the public for the registry of applications and written rulings are made available.
As I said at the beginning, this is a step forward in self-government for the territory of Nunavut. On behalf of the minister I want to thank the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs, Northern Development and Natural Resources for dealing with the bill so expeditiously over the past two or three weeks.
I want to give credit to the chairperson of that committee and particularly to the hon. member for Nunavut who serves on that committee with a number of other hon. members. We are all pleased to present the bill at third reading and hope that it will have speedy passage through the House this morning.