Definitions

1  In this Act:

"committee" means the British Columbia Indian Advisory Committee established under this Act;

"director" means the director appointed for this Act;

"Indian" means a person of the North American Indian race, resident in British Columbia.

Advisory Committee

2  (1)  For the purposes of this Act, the Lieutenant Governor in Council may establish a committee to be known as the British Columbia Indian Advisory Committee, and to consist of a chair and the number of other members the Lieutenant Governor in Council determines.

(2)  The chair and other members of the committee are to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

(3)  The chair has the powers of a commissioner under Part 2 of the Inquiry Act.

Duties of committee

3  (1)  The committee must advise the minister on all matters regarding the status and rights of Indians.

(2)  Without limiting subsection (1), the committee must

(a) consider matters referred to it by the minister, and

(b) report its findings and recommendations to the minister.

Expenses of members

4  A member of the committee is entitled to be paid the actual and reasonable expenses incurred by the member in the discharge of duties.

Employment of staff

5  Officers and employees necessary to administer this Act may be appointed, under the Public Service Act.

Duties of director

6  The director must:

(a) act as secretary to the committee;

(b) collect and correlate information relating to Indians;

(c) collaborate with other ministries of British Columbia and of Canada in the compilation of information relating to Indians;

(d) study and inquire into questions relating to civil rights of Indians and other matters affecting them as may be designated by the minister;

(e) submit to the minister reports of the director's studies and inquiries, together with recommendations the director believes proper;

(f) each year make a report to the minister, to be laid before the Legislative Assembly, for the year ended on the previous last day of December on the activities of the committee and the director.

Power to make regulations

7  The Lieutenant Governor in Council may make regulations referred to in section 41 of the Interpretation Act.