Natural Resources Committee on June 7th, 2012
Evidence of meeting #42 for Natural Resources in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was yukon.
A recording is available from Parliament.
On the agenda
MPs speaking
Also speaking
- Peter Jenkins Mayor, City of Dawson
- Pujjuut Kusugak Mayor, Hamlet of Rankin Inlet
- Peter Tapatai Representative, Hamlet of Baker Lake
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
Mayor, City of Dawson
That's correct.
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
Royal Galipeau Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Before I go, Mr. Chairman, I wonder if I could have a seconder for this motion: that we adjourn this meeting to Rankin Inlet and go fishing.
10:20 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
NDP
10:20 a.m.
Voices
Oh, oh!
10:20 a.m.
Conservative
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Welcome to the south.
I realize it's very good of you to come here before the committee, and I wish there were more exchanges so we could go to the north. I hope I'll be able to travel in the north in the next couple of years and visit you in your own communities.
Mr. Kusugak, I have a question about funding for something called the Mine Training Society, a partnership with first nations. Is the funding still in place for that program? Could you speak to that?
10:20 a.m.
Mayor, Hamlet of Rankin Inlet
As far as I know, the Kivalliq Inuit Association is part of the Kivalliq Mine Training Society. I think they also work with the Government of Nunavut or the Nunavut Arctic College.
I can't answer about the funding. I don't want to give the wrong information, if funding is still there or where the funding comes from.
10:20 a.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC
But there's a federal component to that funding, I understand?
10:20 a.m.
Mayor, Hamlet of Rankin Inlet
I believe so. From what I understand...I can't remember exactly who the funding agency was. I work at the Kivalliq Inuit Association also, but I didn't get the specific funding program.
June 7th, 2012 / 10:25 a.m.
NDP
Jamie Nicholls Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC
I also have some questions about the royalty regime and devolution in your territory. Considering that the current negotiations between the Government of Canada and Nunavut over control of natural resource revenues....
Do you find it appropriate that Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency aren't analyzing the potential effects of devolution of northern communities for self-determination, self-sufficiency, and control over your resources? Instead, devolution is being studied as a financial issue by the Government of Canada within the Department of Finance.
Could you speak to the ongoing negotiations?
10:25 a.m.
Mayor, Hamlet of Rankin Inlet
The territory of Nunavut was created so that the people of Nunavut could become independent and not be so dependent on the rest of Canada. Just for everybody's information, Inuit do pay taxes. We're contributing Canadians. This way, we can contribute towards everybody else, but also, the royalties and things of that sort can help the Nunavut territory. I think it's really a matter of pride. You want to be able to look after your own people. You want to be able to provide for your families—not just for you but for everybody else after you—and that's the whole point of devolution, I believe.