15

 


Fourth Session, 46th General Assembly

60 Elizabeth II, 2011

BILL 15

AN ACT TO AMEND THE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS ACT

Received and Read the First Time...................................................................

Second Reading..............................................................................................

Committee......................................................................................................

Third Reading.................................................................................................

Royal Assent...................................................................................................

HONOURABLE SHAWN SKINNER

Minister of Natural Resources

Ordered to be printed by the Honourable House of Assembly

 

EXPLANATORY NOTES

This Bill would amend the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act to clarify and confirm matters which may be the subject of regulations made under section 39 of that Act. The Bill would confirm regulation-making authority with respect to the following:

·         respecting entry upon property and premises at reasonable times for the purpose of inspection or audit;

·         respecting search and seizure of documents where a person has failed to provide or failed to accurately provide records which may be required under the regulations, or where a contravention of the Act or the regulations is suspected, and respecting the process for obtaining a warrant authorizing that search and seizure;

·         respecting indemnification of the minister and other persons authorized under the Act from legal liability in the lawful performance of duties under the Act or the regulations; and

·         respecting restrictions on the disclosure of information by or on behalf of the minister under the Act or the regulations, and  creating a summary conviction offence where that provision is contravened.

The Bill would also confirm that previously made regulations were validly enacted.

A BILL

AN ACT TO AMEND THE PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS ACT

Analysis


        1.   S.39 Amdt.
Regulations

2. Regulations validly enacted


Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor and House of Assembly in Legislative Session convened, as follows:

RSNL1990 cP-10
as amended

        1. Section 39 of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act is amended by adding immediately after paragraph (e.7) the following:

          (e.8)  respecting entry onto property or premises by the minister or a person authorized by the minister at reasonable times for the purpose of inspection or audit;

          (e.9)  respecting the search and seizure of documents, including the circumstances in which and the process by which an application may be made to the court to authorize that search and seizure;

        (e.10)  respecting the indemnification of the minister and other persons authorized under this Act or the regulations from legal liability in the lawful performance of his or her duties under this Act or the regulations;

        (e.11)  respecting restrictions against use or disclosure of information obtained by or on behalf of the minister under this Act and the regulations, and authorizing the creation of a summary conviction offence and the penalties which may be imposed where that provision is contravened;

Regulations validly enacted

        2. Notwithstanding the coming into force of this Act, regulations respecting matters referred to in this Act made under the authority of section 39 of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Act before this Act came into force shall be considered to have been validly enacted.