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NLIS 3
May 31, 2000
(Mines & Energy)


Province reacts to appointment of offshore boundary dispute arbitration panel

Mines and Energy Minister Paul Dicks today commented on the appointment of an arbitration tribunal to hear the offshore boundary dispute between Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.

"The province is pleased that the arbitration tribunal has finally been put in place by the federal government," said Minister Dicks. "In the next few weeks we will be carefully reviewing the proposed arbitration process, and preparing for the hearings which will commence this fall. Clearly, a final and lasting resolution of this dispute is essential to the development of this promising area of our offshore."

The appointment of the tribunal was announced earlier today by the Minister of Natural Resources Canada, Ralph Goodale. The mandate of the tribunal is to establish a maritime boundary to separate the offshore areas of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, under their respective Accord Acts. The tribunal will be chaired by former Supreme Court of Canada Justice, Gerald LaForest. The other tribunal members are Leonard Legault and Dr. James Crawford. The tribunal is expected to render a final, binding decision within 18 months.

"Our objective is a process which protects our rights and interests, and which allows for a swift, permanent and effective solution to this dispute," the minister said. "To this end, and to ensure that the process proceeds without delay, today I am announcing the appointment of Professor Don McRae as the province�s agent for the purposes of the arbitration." Professor McRae is one of Canada�s foremost experts in maritime boundary law and is currently a professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Ottawa. Professor McRae has been the province�s lead legal counsel on the offshore boundary dispute since May 1996.

"We look forward to working with the arbitration tribunal, the federal government and Nova Scotia in achieving a timely final decision in this matter," said Minister Dicks. "We finally have the opportunity to reach a resolution to this long-standing dispute."

Media contact: Jennifer Walters, Communications, (709) 729-4890.

2000 05 31                         2:45 p.m.


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