RECOMMENDATION

His Excellency the Governor General recommends to the House of Commons the appropriation of public revenue under the circumstances, in the manner and for the purposes set out in a measure entitled ``An Act to amend the Nunavut Act and the Constitution Act, 1867''.

SUMMARY

This enactment amends the Nunavut Act and makes consequential amendments to other federal statutes, including the Constitution Act, 1867.

The principal amendments to the Nunavut Act provide for

    (a) Nunavut's initial set of laws which consist of enactments that duplicate the ordinances of the Northwest Territories (NWT), and the establishment of its initial governmental administration which duplicates the public offices and bodies of the NWT;

    (b) the preservation in Nunavut of rights, privileges and authorizations granted, before its establishment, under NWT laws;

    (c) the assignment to the Government of Nunavut of federal leases of facilities and housing being built for that Government;

    (d) the clarification of the authorities and powers of the Interim Commissioner of Nunavut;

    (e) the authority for the Governor in Council, in the absence of agreement on the division of the existing NWT assets and liabilities, to transfer the ownership of property, other than land, from the NWT to Nunavut and to terminate certain federal contracts;

    (f) holding the first general election for the Legislative Assembly of Nunavut before the new territory is established to allow the Legislature to function as soon as that establishment occurs;

    (g) the application of collective agreements entered into by the Government of the Northwest Territories with its public service to Nunavut's public service; and

    (h) mechanisms to determine and confer jurisdiction on NWT and Nunavut courts and administrative bodies to deal with pending judicial and administrative matters.

The amendments to the Constitution Act, 1867 provide for Senate and House of Commons representation for Nunavut.