Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act (S.C. 2013, c. 25)

Marginal note:Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act.

Marginal note:Definitions

• 2 (1) The following definitions apply in this Act.

  Agreement

  Agreement means the Yale First Nation Final Agreement, between the Yale First Nation, Her Majesty in right of Canada and Her Majesty in right of British Columbia, including any amendments made to it. (accord)

  Tax Treatment Agreement

  Tax Treatment Agreement means the tax treatment agreement referred to in 21.6.1 of the Agreement, including any amendments made to it. (accord sur le traitement fiscal)

• Marginal note:Definitions in Agreement

  (2) In this Act, Yale First Nation, Yale First Nation corporation, Yale First Nation Government, Yale First Nation land, Yale First Nation law, Yale First Nation member and Yale First Nation public institution have the same meanings as in Chapter 1 of the Agreement.

Marginal note:Status of Agreement

3 The Agreement is a treaty and a land claims agreement within the meaning of sections 25 and 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Marginal note:Agreement given effect

• 4 (1) The Agreement is approved, given effect and declared valid and has the force of law.

• Marginal note:Rights and obligations

  (2) For greater certainty, any person or body has the powers, rights, privileges and benefits conferred on the person or body by the Agreement and must perform the duties, and is subject to the liabilities, imposed on the person or body by the Agreement.

• Marginal note:Third parties

  (3) For greater certainty, the Agreement is binding on, and may be relied on by, all persons and bodies.

Marginal note:Inconsistency with Agreement

• 5 (1) The Agreement prevails over this Act and any other federal law to the extent of any inconsistency between them.

• Marginal note:Conflict with Act

  (2) This Act prevails over any other federal law to the extent of any conflict between them.

Marginal note:Payments out of C.R.F.

6 There must be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund any sums that are required to meet the monetary obligations of Her Majesty in right of Canada under Chapter 19 of the Agreement.

Marginal note:Fee simple estate

7 On the effective date of the Agreement, the Yale First Nation owns the estate in fee simple, as set out in Chapter 12 of the Agreement, in Yale First Nation land.

Marginal note:Tax Treatment Agreement given effect

8 The Tax Treatment Agreement is approved, given effect and declared valid and has the force of law during the period that it is in effect.

Marginal note:Not a treaty

9 The Tax Treatment Agreement does not form part of the Agreement and is not a treaty or a land claims agreement within the meaning of sections 25 and 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Marginal note:Powers of Minister of Fisheries and Oceans

10 Despite section 7 of the Fisheries Act, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans may, on behalf of Her Majesty in right of Canada, enter into and implement the Harvest Agreement referred to in 8.2.1 of the Agreement, including any amendments made to it.

Marginal note:Not a treaty

11 That Harvest Agreement does not form part of the Agreement and is not a treaty or a land claims agreement within the meaning of sections 25 and 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Marginal note:Indian Act

12 Subject to the provisions of Chapter 22 of the Agreement that deal with the continuing application of the Indian Act and to 21.5.1 to 21.5.6 of the Agreement, the Indian Act does not apply to the Yale First Nation, Yale First Nation members, the Yale First Nation Government, Yale First Nation public institutions or Yale First Nation corporations as of the effective date of the Agreement, except for the purpose of determining whether an individual is an Indian.

Marginal note:Statutory Instruments Act

13 Yale First Nation laws and other instruments made under the Agreement are not statutory instruments for the purposes of the Statutory Instruments Act.

Marginal note:Incorporation by reference

14 To the extent that a law of British Columbia does not apply of its own force to the Yale First Nation, Yale First Nation members, Yale First Nation land, the Yale First Nation Government, Yale First Nation public institutions or Yale First Nation corporations, because of the exclusive legislative authority of Parliament set out in Class 24 of section 91 of the Constitution Act, 1867, that law of British Columbia applies to it or to them by virtue of this section, in accordance with the Agreement and subject to this Act and any other Act of Parliament.

Marginal note:Judicial notice of Agreements

• 15 (1) Judicial notice must be taken of the Agreement and the Tax Treatment Agreement.

• Marginal note:Publication of Agreements

  (2) The Agreement and the Tax Treatment Agreement must be published by the Queen’s Printer.

• Marginal note:Evidence

  (3) A copy of the Agreement or the Tax Treatment Agreement published by the Queen’s Printer is evidence of that agreement and of its contents, and a copy purporting to be published by the Queen’s Printer is deemed to be so published, unless the contrary is shown.

Marginal note:Judicial notice of laws

• 16 (1) Judicial notice must be taken of Yale First Nation laws.

• Marginal note:Evidence of Yale First Nation laws

  (2) A copy of a Yale First Nation law purporting to be deposited in a public registry of laws referred to in 3.6.1a of the Agreement is evidence of that law and of its contents, unless the contrary is shown.

Marginal note:Orders and regulations

17 The Governor in Council may make any orders and regulations that are necessary for the purpose of carrying out any of the provisions of the Agreement or of the Tax Treatment Agreement.

Marginal note:Notice of issues arising

• 19 (1) If an issue arises in any judicial or administrative proceeding in respect of the interpretation or validity of the Agreement, or the validity or applicability of this Act, the British Columbia Yale First Nation Final Agreement Act or any Yale First Nation law, then the issue must not be decided until the party raising the issue has served notice on the Attorney General of Canada, the Attorney General of British Columbia and the Yale First Nation.

• Marginal note:Content and timing of notice

  (2) The notice must

  • (a) describe the proceeding;

  • (b) specify what the issue arises in respect of;

  • (c) state the day on which the issue is to be argued;

  • (d) give particulars necessary to show the point to be argued; and

  • (e) be served at least 14 days before the day of argument, unless the court or tribunal authorizes a shorter period.

• Marginal note:Participation in proceedings

  (3) In any proceeding in respect of which subsection (1) applies, the Attorney General of Canada, the Attorney General of British Columbia and the Yale First Nation may appear and participate in the proceeding as parties with the same rights as any other party.

• Marginal note:Saving

  (4) For greater certainty, subsections (2) and (3) do not require that an oral hearing be held if one is not otherwise required.