NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD

MINUTES: SPECIAL MEETING NO. 8

04 December 1998

YELLOWKNIFE, NWT

Agenda

Call to Order and Rationale for Meeting

Submission to Standing Committee on Bill C-48

Position in respect to DFO’s Canada’s Oceans Strategy

Adjournment

1. Call to Order and Rationale for Meeting

In the midst of the second day of a two-day “ Cooperation and Co-management Workshop ” of the five Institutions of Public Government (IPGs) established under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA), the NWMB’s Chairperson convened the 8 th Special Meeting of the NWMB at 3:00 p.m. on Friday December 4 at the Yellowknife Inn in Yellowknife. The Chairperson explained that he called this Special Meeting in order for the Board to decide its position in respect to two items that were under consideration at the Workshop by four of the IPGs (the NIRB, the NPC, the NWB and the NWMB). The Workshop was in temporary recess, to accommodate this meeting of the Board.

The Chairperson noted a fundamental development at the Workshop; namely, that the participants had interpreted NLCA Section 15.4.1 to mean that the Nunavut Marine Council (NMC) did not need to be formally established, but was already in existence under the terms of that Section. If the IPGs wished to act jointly as the NMC, they could do so, without having the need for any additional formal steps. Thus, the NMC was interpreted to be continually available as a vehicle of expression for the four IPGs named in Section 15.4.1.

There was strong expression of interest by the IPGs at the Workshop to undertake some concrete joint functions in this context. Two specific items for potential joint action comprised the agenda for Special Meeting No. 8 of the NWMB. Members expressed concurrence with this agenda.

2. Submission to Standing Committee on Bill C-48

The Board’s Legal Advisor, Michael d’Eça, reviewed the submission that he had drafted on behalf of the NWMB, for presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage concerning Bill C-48, an Act respecting Marine Conservation Areas. Michael focussed his presentation on the major points made in the draft submission. As with other draft federal legislation that the NWMB has critiqued previously, Bill C-48 is once again deficient in its failure to provide adequate recognition and acknowledgement of the powers and provisions of land claims agreements such as the NLCA.

After considerable discussion the Board decided to approve the submission to the Standing Committee as drafted by the NWMB Legal Advisor, and also to join with the other members of the NMC to endorse this particular submission of the NWMB. (Resolution 99-087)

3. Position in respect to DFO’s “Canada’s Oceans Strategy”

In view of:

•  the ongoing deliberations of the IPGs in the Cooperation and Co-management Workshop ;

•  the precedent established by the Board in its decision to join with the other members of the NMC to endorse the NWMB’s submission to the Standing Committee in respect to Bill C-48 (Item 2 above); and

•  the plea from DFO for a coordinated response from Nunavut interests to the Department’s proposed “ Canada ’s Oceans Strategy” initiative;

The Board decided to declare its willingness to join with the other members of the Nunavut Marine Council to develop a common position on this matter. (Resolution 99-088)

4. Adjournment

The eighth Special Meeting of the NWMB adjourned at 4:00 p.m. December 4, allowing the members of the Board to re-join their other IPG colleagues, and to resume the Cooperation and Co-management Workshop .

Minutes Approved by:                                                                      _______________

                                                        Chairperson                                            Date