Department of Natural Resources Act (S.C. 1994, c. 41)

Short Title

Marginal note:Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Department of Natural Resources Act.

Interpretation

Marginal note:Definitions

2 In this Act,

Minister

Minister means the Minister of Natural Resources; (Version anglaise seulement)

natural resources

natural resources means mines, minerals and other non-renewable resources, energy, including energy developed from water, and forest resources; (ressources naturelles)

remote sensing

remote sensing means the reception and processing of earth observation data acquired by airborne or space-borne systems; (télédétection)

sustainable development

sustainable development means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs; (développement durable)

technical surveys

technical surveys has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Resources and Technical Surveys Act. (levés)

Establishment of the Department

Marginal note:Department established

• 3 (1) There is hereby established a department of the Government of Canada called the Department of Natural Resources over which the Minister of Natural Resources, appointed by commission under the Great Seal, shall preside.

• Marginal note:Minister

  (2) The Minister holds office during pleasure and has the management and direction of the Department.

Marginal note:Deputy head

4 The Governor in Council may appoint an officer called the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources to hold office during pleasure and to be the deputy head of the Department.

Powers, Duties and Functions of the Minister

Marginal note:Minister’s powers, duties and functions

5 The powers, duties and functions of the Minister extend to and include all matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction, not by law assigned to any other department, board or agency of the Government of Canada, relating to

• (a) natural resources;

• (b) explosives; and

• (c) technical surveys relating to any matter other than a matter to which the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans extend by law.

Marginal note:General duties

6 In exercising the powers and performing the duties and functions assigned to the Minister by section 5, the Minister shall

• (a) have regard to the sustainable development of Canada’s natural resources and the integrated management thereof;

• (b) coordinate, promote, recommend and implement policies with respect to the matters referred to in that section, and programs and practices established pursuant to those policies;

• (c) assist in the development and promotion of Canadian scientific and technological capabilities;

• (d) participate in the development and application of codes and standards for technical surveys and natural resources products and for the management and use of natural resources;

• (e) seek to enhance the responsible development and use of Canada’s natural resources and the competitiveness of Canada’s natural resources products;

• (f) participate in the enhancement and promotion of market access for Canada’s natural resources products and technical surveys industries, both domestically and internationally;

• (g) promote the development and use of remote sensing technology;

• (h) promote cooperation with the governments of the provinces and with non-governmental organizations in Canada, and participate in the promotion of cooperation with the governments of other countries and with international organizations; and

• (i) gather, compile, analyse, coordinate and disseminate information respecting scientific, technological, economic, industrial, managerial, marketing and related activities and developments affecting Canada’s natural resources.

General

Marginal note:Report required by Governor in Council

• 7 (1) The Governor in Council may make regulations requiring the Minister to prepare a report respecting any matter related to the Minister’s powers, duties and functions.

• Marginal note:Tabling of report

  (2) The Minister shall cause a copy of any report required by the Governor in Council to be laid before each House of Parliament as soon as practicable after the report is prepared.

Transitional

Marginal note:Positions

• 8 (1) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting the status of an employee who, immediately before the coming into force of this Act, occupied a position in the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources or in the Department of Forestry, except that the employee shall, on the coming into force of this Act, occupy their position in the Department of Natural Resources under the authority of the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources.

• Definition of employee

  (2) In this section, employee has the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Public Service Employment Act.

Marginal note:Transfer of appropriations

9 Any amount appropriated, for the fiscal year in which this Act comes into force, by an appropriation Act based on the Estimates for that year for defraying the charges and expenses of the public service of Canada within the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources or the Department of Forestry, and that, on the day on which this Act comes into force, is unexpended, is deemed, on that day, to be an amount appropriated for defraying the charges and expenses of the Department of Natural Resources.

Marginal note:Transfer of powers, duties and functions

10 Wherever under any Act, order, rule or regulation, or any contract, lease, licence or other document, any power, duty or function is vested in or exercisable by the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, the Minister of Forestry, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, the Deputy Minister of Forestry or any officer of the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources or the Department of Forestry, the power, duty or function is vested in and shall be exercised by the Minister of Natural Resources, the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources or the appropriate officer of the Department of Natural Resources, as the case may be, unless the Governor in Council by order designates another Minister, Deputy Minister or officer of the public service of Canada to exercise that power, duty or function.

Related Amendments

11 to 36 [Amendments]

References

• 37 (1) [Amendments]

• Marginal note:Other references

  (2) Every reference to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources or the Minister of Forestry in any other Act of Parliament or in any order, regulation or other instrument made under an Act of Parliament shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be read as a reference to the Minister of Natural Resources.

• 38 (1) [Amendments]

• Marginal note:Other references

  (2) Every reference to the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources or the Department of Forestry in any other Act of Parliament or in any order, regulation or other instrument made under an Act of Parliament shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be read as a reference to the Department of Natural Resources.

Repeals

39 to 41 [Repeals]

Coming into Force

Marginal note:Coming into force

Footnote ^*42 This Act comes into force on a day to be fixed by order of the Governor in Council.

• Return to footnote ^*[Note: Act in force January 12, 1995, see SI/95-10.]