The Act: Table of Contents: Part 1: Advisory Committees

Part 1: Administration - Advisory Committees

National Advisory Committee

6. (1) For the purpose of enabling national action to be carried out and taking cooperative action in matters affecting the environment and for the purpose of avoiding duplication in regulatory activity among governments, the Minister shall establish a National Advisory Committee

(a) to advise the Ministers on regulations proposed to be made under subsection 93(1);

(b) to advise the Minister on a cooperative, coordinated intergovernmental approach for the management of toxic substances; and

(c) to advise the Minister on other environmental matters that are of mutual interest to the Government of Canada and other governments and to which this Act relates.

Precautionary principle

(1.1) In giving its advice and recommendations, the Committee shall use the precautionary principle.

Composition of Committee

(2) The Committee shall consist of the following members:

(a) one representative for each of the Ministers;

(b) one representative of the government of each of the provinces; and

(c) subject to subsection (3), not more than six representatives of aboriginal governments, to be selected on the following regional basis,

(i) one representative for all aboriginal governments, except Inuit, in Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick,

(ii) one representative for all aboriginal governments, except Inuit, in Quebec,

(iii) one representative for all aboriginal governments, except Inuit, in Ontario,

(iv) one representative for all aboriginal governments, except Inuit, in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut,

(v) one representative for all aboriginal governments, except Inuit, in British Columbia and Yukon, and

(vi) one representative for all Inuit aboriginal governments.

Provincial representatives

(2.1) The representative of a provincial government shall be selected by that government.

Aboriginal representatives

(2.2) Subject to subsection (3), the representative of aboriginal governments shall be selected by the aboriginal governments he or she represents.

Inuit aboriginal representatives

(2.3) Subject to subsection (3), the representative of Inuit aboriginal governments shall be selected by those governments.

Absence of aboriginal government

(3) Where there is no Inuit aboriginal government or aboriginal government for a region referred to in any of subparagraphs (2)(c)(i) to (v), the representative of the Inuit or of aboriginal people for the region, as the case may be, may be selected in accordance with regulations made under subsection (4).

Regulations

(4) The Minister may make regulations respecting the manner of selecting a representative under subsection (3).

1999, c. 33, s. 6; 2002, c. 7, s. 124.

Ministerial advisory committees

7. (1) For the purpose of carrying out their duties under this Act, the Ministers or either Minister may

(a) establish advisory committees to report to the Ministers or either Minister; and

(b) specify the functions that the committees are to perform and the manner in which those functions are to be performed.

Publication of report

(2) The report of a committee established under subsection (1), including its recommendations and reasons, shall be made public.

Report of various committees

8. The Minister shall include in the annual report required by section 342 a report of the activities of the Committee and of any committees established under paragraph 7(1)(a).