BILL NO. 66

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 60th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
56 Elizabeth II, 2007

Private Member's Bill

Auditor General Act
(amended)

Graham Steele
Halifax Fairview

First Reading: December 4, 2007

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill amends the Auditor General Act to provide for the appointment of a Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity.

1 Chapter 28 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Auditor General Act, is amended by adding immediately after Section 3 the following Section:

3A (1) Subject to subsection (4), the Auditor General shall appoint a senior officer to be called the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity who reports directly to the Auditor General.

(2) The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity shall assist the Auditor General in performing the duties of the Auditor General that relate to the environment and sustainable prosperity and development.

(3) The role of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity is to provide sustainable prosperity and development monitoring and reporting on the progress of the government towards sustainable prosperity and development, having regard to the goals set out for the Province under the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act and to the integration of social, economic and environmental concerns through

(a) integration of the environment and the economy;

(b) protection of the health of residents of the Province;

(c) protection of ecosystems;

(d) the meeting of international obligations;

(e) promotion of equity;

(f) an integrated approach to planning and making decisions that takes into account the environmental and natural resource costs of different economic options and the economic costs of different environmental and natural resource options;

(g) prevention of pollution; and

(h) respect for nature and the needs of future generations.

(4) The moneys required for the purpose of this Section shall be paid from moneys appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.