Council of Maritime Premiers Act

WHEREAS the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are unanimous in their desire to promote unity of purpose among their respective governments;

AND WHEREAS they wish to ensure maximum co-ordination of the activities of the governments of the three provinces and their agencies;

AND WHEREAS the said provinces wish to establish the framework for joint action and undertakings;

AND WHEREAS the Maritime Union Study recommended the establishment of a Council of Maritime Premiers as one of the agencies for co-operative action among the said provinces;

AND WHEREAS by an agreement dated the twenty-fifth day of May, 1971, the premiers of the said provinces agreed to general principles for the operation of a Council of Maritime Premiers for the purpose of pursuing the objectives herein recited;

AND WHEREAS the said premiers have met several times for such purpose;

AND WHEREAS it is desirable to enact legislation in each of the said provinces respecting a Council of Maritime Premiers:

Short title

1 This Act may be cited as the Council of Maritime Premiers Act.

Interpretation

2 In this Act,

(a) "Agreement" means an agreement among the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island referred to in Section 3;

(b) "Council" means the Council of Maritime Premiers established pursuant to this Act;

(c) "parties" means Her Majesty in right of each of the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island represented by her respective lieutenant governors in council. 1972, c. 7, s. 1.

Agreement

3 The Governor in Council may

(a) enter into an Agreement with the lieutenant governors in council of the Provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island for the establishment of a body to be known as the Council of Maritime Premiers comprised of the premiers of the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island; and

(b) agree, from time to time, with the Provinces of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island to amend the Agreement. 1972, c. 7, s. 2.

Terms of Agreement

4 The Agreement may

(a) authorize the Council to do or cause to be done, on behalf of the parties, any or all such things as the parties thereto are otherwise empowered to do and deem necessary or ancillary to the attainment of the objectives set forth in the preamble to this Act;

(b) provide for the financing of the operations of the Council and for cost-sharing arrangements;

(c) contain such other provisions as may be necessary or desirable to provide for the administration of the Council and for its operations. 1972, c. 7, s. 3.

Fiscal year

5 The fiscal year of the Council shall commence on the first day of April in each year and end on the thirty-first day of March in the year next following. 1972, c. 7, s. 4.

Annual budget

6 The Council shall prepare an annual budget which shall be submitted to the Governor in Council. 1972, c. 7, s. 5.

Appropriation

7 If the budget is approved by the lieutenant governors in council in the Provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, there shall be introduced in the House of Assembly, a resolution or resolutions for an appropriation or appropriations to enable the Province to meet its share of the budget. 1972, c. 7, s. 6.

Annual report

8 Each year the Council shall prepare and publish a report on its activities in the preceding year. 1972, c. 7, s. 7.

Tabling of agreement

9 (1) Any agreement or any amendment thereto made under this Act when the House of Assembly is in session shall be tabled during that session.

Tabling of agreement at next session

(2) Any agreement or any amendment thereto made under this Act when the House of Assembly is not in session shall be tabled at the next following session. 1972, c. 7, s. 8.

Deemed agreement

10 The Agreement dated the twenty-fifth day of May, 1971, is deemed to be an agreement under this Act. 1972, c. 7, s. 9.