Thank you, Madam Chair. I am here to present Bill 74, Forest Act. It is also important to recognize that we are discussing forestry legislation at a time when people, our people, communities and our forests, have been significantly impacted by wildfires.
Bill 74 is the first bill drafted under the Intergovernmental council Protocol on Legislation Development and the first introduced under the Legislative Assembly's new process convention on bills drafted in accordance with this protocol.
Bill 74 is an important milestone for all of us, and I thank everybody - the Indigenous governments, standing committee, and all Members of of this House - for their work on this bill. The Department of Environment and Climate Change worked closely with Indigenous governments of the Intergovernmental council through a technical working group to develop Bill 74. Along with the Intergovernmental council Members, participation in the technical working group also included Lutselk'e Dene First Nation, North Slave Metis Alliance, Yellowknife Dene First Nation, Nahanni Butte Dene Band, and Deh Cho First Nation.
The bill is the result of hard work of many people and organizations and reflects consensus of the party under the Intergovernmental council Protocol.
Bill 74 combines and modernizes the Forest Management Act and Forest Protection Act. It will allow the GNWT and its partners to use the most current tools to effectively manage forest resources in the NWT.
Bill 74 is designed to provide for flexibility, to account for variations between regions of local needs. Special needs for many parts of the bill will be further defined in regulation development. New tools established under Bill 74 include
- Forest ecosystem management plan;
- Provisions required to allow the GNWT to effectively manage wildfires;
- The ability to take immediate actions against invasive species and diseases that could seriously harm to the forest;
- Removing the requirements for a permit for anyone with an Aboriginal treaty right to harvest forest resources in an applicable area;
- Modernize the appeal process; and,
- Update enforcement and investigation authorities.
I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment for its review of this bill.22 motions of the bill were approved and integrated. This shows the great collaboration between the committee and Intergovernmental council technical working group. That concludes my opening remarks, and I look forward to answering any questions that Members may have. Thank you, Madam Chair.