Secretariat:

Ex Officio:

Guest:

Presenters:

Regrets:

The draft agenda was approved as written.

The Chair welcomed the Council and visitors. Council members and staff introduced themselves.

• Eric Fairclough, Minister of Renewable Resources
• Trevor Harding, Minister of Economic Development

Ministers Fairclough and Harding welcomed the Council members and briefly outlined the role they suggested the Council could play and various issues it could address.

Staff from the Bureau of Statistics, and the Departments of Economic Development and Renewable Resources provided Council members with a demographic, economic and environmental overview of the Yukon.

5. REVIEW/DISCUSSION OF YCEE MANDATE:

The Chair provided gave an overview of the direction given by the Government Leader, which involves a review of the Yukon Economic Strategy and Yukon Conservation Strategy to ensure the principles are relevant, fulfill legislated mandate and stimulate public interest in sustainable development through public education.

Action/Follow-up: It was agreed that the Council will have to determine the timeline and level of involvement in each task and mandate.

1. Legislated under Environment Act

   Renewable Resources staff advised that certain tasks which are part of the YCEE mandate have not been kept up-to-date (revisions to Yukon Conservation Strategy and regulations for YCEE). The Council discussed ways to implement this process into their working plan.

   1. YCS Annual Review

      The Council discussed how it could be involved in the annual review of the performance of the Yukon Government in implementing the Yukon Conservation Strategy. Renewable Resources staff advised that there is still time to revisit the 1997 implementation information and ask specific questions. The review is scheduled to be tabled in the spring session.

      Action/Follow-up: The Council decided it would like to take a more active role in the review of implementation of the Yukon Conservation Strategy. A working group will meet before the next meeting to consider the process for review and what benchmarks would make it a useful document.

   2. YCS Revisions

      Staff advised that revisions to the Yukon Conservation Strategy are due every three years with the next revision is due in 1999.

   3. State of the Environment Report

      Staff distributed the 1995 State of the Environment Report. The Environment Act requires a State of the Environment Report to be completed once every three years and interim reports in intervening years. Under the Act, the YCEE is required to review the State of the Environment Report and prepare a report of its review. Renewable Resources has recently completed an interim State of the Environment Report on Air Quality and Climate Change. Although YCEE is not required to review interim SOE Reports, Renewable Resources is still interested in receiving any comments YCEE may have on the document.

      Action/Follow-up: The Council would like to know the timeframe and proposed process for the next SOER which is due in 1998. Renewable Resources will provide this information at the next meeting.

2. Legislated under Economic Development Act

   Economic Development staff reviewed the mandate as outlined in the Economic Development Act. YCEE will be working with the Department of Economic Development to develop an economic diversification strategy for Yukon. The department of Economic Development presented background and a proposed approach to the development of a Yukon diversification strategy.

   Action/Follow-up: Council agreed to set up a working group to look into diversification and possible approaches to take. With Economic Development, this group will report back at the next meeting.

6. REGULATIONS UNDER THE ENVIRONMENT ACT

1. Section 41.4 - Regulations for the YCEE

   Secretariat staff reviewed the requirements for developing regulations under the Environment Act relating to the YCEE. It was pointed out that they would likely have to go out for a 60 day public review. Renewable Resources staff advised that regulations will be completed in the near future.

   Action/Follow-up: It was agreed that draft regulations would be presented at the next meeting, with an outline of the administrative/consultative processes required.

2. Sections 22 - 28 - Regulations for complaints under the Environment Act

   The Council discussed the issue of what qualifies as a complaint under the Environment Act. It was advised that letters to the Ministers have not been considered a complaint and that there is no definition in the Act of what a complaint is. It was noted that Sections 22 - 28 of the Act are not well known publicly.

   Action/Follow-up: Renewable Resources staff will look into the departments understanding of Sections 22- 28 of the Environment Act and report back to the Council in writing.

7. ANNUAL REPORT FOR YCEE:

Secretariat staff will be responsible for preparing an annual report for the Council detailing its activities and expenditures.

8. ARCTIC COUNCIL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Council members discussed the The upcoming Arctic Council Conference on sustainable development scheduled for May in Whitehorse. Council members discussed what role the YCEE could play, including the proposal to organize small regional conferences or workshops afterwards.

Action/Follow-up: The Secretariat will provide a copy of the agenda and additional information on the conference. An outline of a proposal to "localize" the conference will be made available at the next meeting.

9. PROCEDURES, LOGISTICS AND ADMINISTRATION:

• The Chair reviewed the tentative schedule of meetings for the next year. Members were asked to advise the Secretariat of any noted conflicts in their schedules. Council members agreed with the plan to hold five two-day meetings over the next year.
• It was decided to review the booklet: Building Consensus for Sustainable Future: Guiding Principles at the next meeting.
• The Council agreed that a quorum would require five members plus the Chair or Vice Chair. Council members agreed that minutes should be prepared on a not-for attribution basis and would be distributed publicly once approved.
• Council agreed that meetings will generally be open to the public with the option of going in-camera.
• Council members requested that senior departmental staff from Renewable Resources and Economic Development attend the meetings, especially in the beginning as mandated material will likely be dealt with.
• Members and staff discussed what role the Council should play in terms of developing a budget. Council members advised that they would not be able to estimate the Council's budgetary requirements until its workplan and level of involvement in certain projects is determined.
• Topics proposed put forth for the next meeting included: economic strategy, the internal decision making process and updates from the various working groups.

WORKING GROUPS:

The following working groups were established:

• YCS Annual Review: Andy Williams, Jennifer Mauro, Lucy van Oldenbarneveld
• Diversification Strategy: Lucy van Oldernbarneveld, John Carroll, Louise Ranger
• YCEE Regulations: Daryn Leas
• Members of the YES Review, SOER Review, Picture of Yukon and Arctic Council workgroups are yet to be determined.

The Chair advised that she would like to be included in the first meeting of all working groups.

Meeting adjourned at 4:30 P.M.

 

______________________________________

Jennifer Mauro, Chair