Evidence of meeting #6 for Public Accounts in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chairman.
A recording is available from Parliament.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
I'm reading that as it would be very valuable in terms of taking a situation that seems almost hopeless to some and providing a sense of hope, if the government were to respond in that way.
Let me also be specific on another issue.
5:15 p.m.
Liberal
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
If there are further budget cuts within the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, can we realistically advance the quality of life of first nations living on reserve?
5:15 p.m.
Interim Auditor General, Office of the Auditor General of Canada
Mr. Chairman, I will try my best to be brief in response to that.
The question of the level of funding the government provides for aboriginal issues on reserves is fundamentally a policy question.
The structural impediment we identified in our report is to provide some predictability and stability in that funding. It makes no sense to us to provide funding to aboriginals on reserve for education services through annual contribution agreements. You're going to need education next year too.
The issue of the level of funding, I believe, is best left to government and members of Parliament to determine.
5:15 p.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP David Christopherson
Thank you both very much.
That ends the round and that ends our public portion.
I'm asking the steering committee members to please stay behind.
Again, for the purposes of everyone here, the steering committee will meet in camera, as it always does. It's not a decision-making body; it only makes recommendations to the main committee.
We will commence that once we clear the room.
Thank you all very much.
The meeting stands adjourned, and we'll reconvene as the steering committee in two minutes.