Special Meeting No. 12A & 12B

Introduction

The purpose of Special Meeting No. 12 is for the NWMB to publicly consider harvesting restrictions being proposed by the Government of Nunavut in its draft Wildlife Regulations and Orders, made pursuant to the Nunavut Wildlife Act. Draft Regulations and Orders are proposed laws applying to Nunavut hunters and others that contain harvesting restrictions recommended by the Government of Nunavut.

Participants

The major participants at Special Meeting No. 12 are the Government of Nunavut's Department of Environment (DOE), Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) and Nunavut's three Regional Wildlife Organizations and twenty-six Hunters and Trappers Organizations (RWOs and HTOs). Participants also include other organizations and agencies, as well as interested members of the public. Examples of other organizations and agencies are: the other Nunavut land and resource management bodies established by the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement; additional regional and local Inuit organizations; and, Aboriginal organizations from jurisdictions neighboring Nunavut.

Following the Meetings: NWMB Decision-making

After having impartially and thoroughly considered, at a meeting or hearing, a wildlife issue requiring an NWMB decision, the NWMB shall make its decision pursuant to the terms of the NLCA and forward it to the relevant Minister. The NWMB shall not make that decision public. Within 60 days (for Government of Canada jurisdiction) or 30 days (for Government of Nunavut jurisdiction) - or such further period as may be agreed upon by the relevant Minister and the NWMB - the Minister shall:

1. accept the decision and notify the NWMB in writing; or
2. give the NWMB reasons in writing for rejecting the decision.

Where the Minister rejects the initial NWMB decision, the NWMB shall reconsider the decision in light of the written reasons provided by the Minister and make a final decision, which it shall forward to the Minister. The NWMB may make that final decision public.

After receiving the NWMB's final decision, the Minister may:

1. accept the decision and notify the NWMB in writing; or
2. give the NWMB reasons in writing for rejecting the decision.

Where the Minister rejects the initial NWMB decision, the NWMB shall reconsider the decision in light of the written reasons provided by the Minister and make a final decision, which it shall forward to the Minister. The NWMB may make that final decision public.

After receiving the NWMB's final decision, the Minister may:

1. accept the final decision;
2. reject the final decision; or
3. vary the final decision.

Rules

Revised June 26, 2006

1. The meeting - originally scheduled to take place from May 8^th to 10^th 2006, now re-scheduled for September 25^th to 28^th and October 23^rd to 25^th 2006 - shall be open to the public, with notice provided to the public on or before August 11^th 2006. Part of the meeting may be conducted in camera, where the NWMB considers that confidential or sensitive matters may be disclosed or discussed.
2. All written materials, additional to those previously filed with the NWMB, relating to the issues to be considered at the meeting - duly translated into Inuktitut or English as the case may be - shall be filed with the NWMB by no later than 5:00 PM, August 11^th 2006.
3. Any additional written materials produced by the NWMB for consideration at the meeting shall also be translated and made publicly available by no later than 5:00 PM, August 11^th 2006.
4. Written and translated reviews of, or responses or challenges to, any materials filed with or made publicly available by the NWMB as of August 11^th 2006 shall be filed with the NWMB by no later than 5:00 PM, September 8^th 2006. The NWMB may also produce additional written and translated materials by no later than 5:00 PM, September 8^th 2006, in response to any materials filed as of August 11^th 2006.
5. The requirement for translation of materials filed with the NWMB does not apply to individual members of the public.
6. All materials filed with the NWMB by the Government of Nunavut (GN), Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) or any of the Regional Wildlife Organizations (RWOs) shall be provided by that body, at the same time, to the other four bodies. The NWMB shall ensure that all materials filed with it are made publicly available, subject to relevant confidentiality or privacy concerns.
7. The NWMB shall provide simultaneous English and Inuktitut translation at the meeting, to the extent reasonably possible.
8. A quorum of NWMB members shall be present at the meeting.
9. The NWMB shall make every effort to ensure that all participants at the meeting are treated with respect.
10. The NWMB shall provide a reasonable opportunity for oral presentations from the GN, NTI, the RWOs or any other participant at the meeting by their choice of official, expert or counsel.
11. Any member of the NWMB or the NWMB's legal counsel may ask relevant questions of any participant at the meeting.
12. The GN, NTI or any RWO or other participant may ask relevant questions of any other participant at the meeting.
13. The NWMB shall provide members of the public in attendance at the meeting a reasonable opportunity to make statements and to ask questions of the participants and the NWMB.
14. Every person at the meeting wishing to speak or ask a question shall raise his or her hand, and shall only speak once the NWMB Chairperson has recognized him or her.
15. The NWMB Chairperson reserves the right to place reasonable time limits on presentations, statements and questions.
16. The NWMB shall make an audio recording of the meeting available, and shall make written minutes available in English and Inuktitut.

Agenda

drafted June 26, 2006

Below is the Agenda for Special Meeting No. 12. Please note that the agenda is not finalized and may change.

DAY ONE: September 25, 2006

DAY TWO: September 26, 2006

DAY THREE: September 27, 2006

DAY FOUR: September 28, 2006

DAY FIVE: October 23, 2006

DAY SIX: October 24, 2006

DAY SEVEN: October 25, 2006