Canadian Heritage Committee on Nov. 29th, 2011

[Deborah Apps]

Thank you for your question.

We work with provincial and territorial partners in every province and territory, and those partners are the ones who lead the discussion with the regional development agencies. We give them the information, the collateral, and anything that's happening on a national level to ensure that there's synergy with the conversations we're having with Parks Canada or Canadian Heritage.

They then have those conversations, and we're the backup. For instance, I was at a meeting in B.C. where we were talking about the Sea to Sky Trail from Squamish to Whistler. We were talking to the agency about potential funding.

That is happening.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Just before we get to Mr. MacKenzie, I think that when we had the economic action plan, a lot of this infrastructure money was filtered through the regional development agencies, which I thought was a good idea because they had that on-the-ground knowledge. If we make it more of a national program, I find that we lose some of that local vision. That's just my opinion.

Go ahead.

[Paul LaBarge]

If I can just make one comment on our experience, and certainly my experience.... I've been at this for a lot of years and I don't think I've ever seen a project that enjoys such a level of cooperation as the trail does in terms of the community, the volunteer base in the community, the province, the region, and the federal government. I mean, if you look at the numbers of the contributions that have been made over the years, it is remarkable just how consistent it is, with the participation at every level.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

I would agree, because my backyard is 100 metres from your trail, and I am a big fan. I get a lot of visitors that way. I love it.

Mr. MacKenzie.

[David MacKenzie]

Thanks. We work very closely with the economic development agency at ACOA. It is a blend. I agree with your comment that the closer to the ground the public organization is, the better they are attuned to the issues and the realities of the street.

The beauty of the work we've been doing is that we have both ACOA and Canadian Heritage at the table at the senior level, and I think that's a magnificent testament to the objectives we have, which are tied to heritage and economic development.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

Do I have time?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

You have 10 seconds.

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

You look great today, Mr. Moore.

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, NL]

You look great, and thank you.

I have a quick comment, though, in that I would agree with you. I think the infusion of community money--maybe through a theme of 150--through our local regional development agencies would be a good idea.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

You have no time left.

[Paul LaBarge]

As a comment, Wetaskiwin, which is a buffalo jump in Saskatchewan, is a site that was done in conjunction with the aboriginals. It was a Canada 125 project and represents a perfect example of the cooperation at every level in making that a success.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Mr. Young.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

First I'd like to say to Mr. MacKenzie that I really like your idea for a theme for 2017: that all things are possible in Canada. Is that what you said? Yes? We've heard some other ideas. I have to say that personally I think that's the best one yet, so thank you for that.

Mr. LaBarge, I wanted to ask you.... First of all, I think the idea of the trail as a way to celebrate Canada in the years leading up to 2017 is terrific. Plus, we've received advice from others that we should build on things we're already doing well, so I think it's a perfect match. As well as its partnerships with Parks Canada, local communities, and the private sector, it's truly national. It raises awareness of our environment and environmentally sensitive areas. I think it brings Canadians together, it's reflective, and there's a way to build synergies on awareness of our Canadian histories, so for all those reasons I certainly agree with you.

I wanted to ask you how we could get some ideas out of these communities. You mentioned that it's grassroots. How can we go out now--because we have a lot of time now--to get ideas out of these communities to participate in the trail across Canada, to make it happen, and to get more people out there? For example, to get more people on the trail, including the disabled, which is a challenge, but I'm sure they're up to it, and they deserve to see more of Canada as well, or to raise more funds to complete it.... How many kilometres are left? About 6,000?

[Paul LaBarge]

Six thousand. Some of it is moose pasture.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

You'll have to tell me about that because I don't know exactly what that means--

[Voices]

Oh, oh!

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

--but it doesn't sound good. It sounds like a challenge.

And to connect our environment to our history and how it influenced our Canadian character...? Sorry, it's a big question.

[Paul LaBarge]

It's a big question. I'm going to split it in two. I'll answer part of it and I'll ask Deb to answer part of it.

In terms of the remaining portions that are to be done, when I say “moose pasture” it's because some of it is very remote. I sometimes make the jest that if anybody is going to walk on it in a particular year it will be because there was a plane crash in the vicinity. It is remote. It's a big country. Our biggest partners going forward will be the Federation of Canadian Municipalities--the smaller members--and they also, hopefully, will be aboriginals, because a lot of these remote areas are in fact aboriginal areas.

We are also looking at a hugely active social media campaign as part of the educational effort to get families on the trail. It's our belief that the trail is totally accessible--in some areas, more so than in others. There is no question that in urban areas accessibility for the disabled is much higher, simply because the finish is much higher, but it is a commitment of ours and of our trail partners to make the trail as totally accessible as possible.

As well, there is no barrier to use of the trail, so it is in fact a perfect family activity. It's the kind of thing where you can get a family out on a Sunday afternoon to go for a ski, for a walk, for a run, whatever. In that sense, it is oriented to both health and family. We will be initiating a very large social media campaign to reach out to young people, because we need this to become an intergenerational activity.

As for how you can participate in this, Deb, will you talk about the regional meetings? It's the perfect time.

[Deborah Apps]

We're just completing regional meetings with our partners across the country. I was in Thunder Bay on Sunday and Monday meeting with a group, and in Halifax on the weekend meeting with our Atlantic partners, and we're going to Regina next week.

The opportunity is for them to feed into our strategic plan and our strategic vision for 2017. We're asking the question: what can we do together as we work towards the 150th anniversary of Confederation and what do the next five years look like? What are the celebrations? Who are the communities we need to engage?

The conversations have also extended into tourism, to provincial tourism agencies, and to local and municipal governments, of course.

Another meeting that we'll be having when we're in Regina, which gives you an example and a flavour of the interest, is a provincial symposium for Saskatchewan, thanks to the support we've received from the federal government.

Saskatchewan is struggling to get a lot of trail built. They're at the point that it is about 39% complete, so there is a lot of trail to cover and to build. There is a symposium that will bring together all levels of government and all interested organizations that want to help to build the trail. As part of this, we'll be talking again about the road to 2017.

As much as possible, we're opening, the conversation to as many people as possible so that we can engage not only all levels of government but many in the community.

[Paul LaBarge]

We are sharing those results with Parks Canada.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Thank you. That's very helpful.

Mr. Dinsdale, you mentioned improving conditions; I think you meant it just as a reference point. Maybe 150 years from now the conditions will be at the point where we'd like them to be for our first nations, but I want to ask you whether you have any ideas on what targets might be set annually, leading up to 2017, for specific improvements on quality of life for first nations, targets that can be committed to by the band councils and the provinces and the federal government. I'm thinking of perhaps by 2012 raising participation in public school education and equality; by 2013, ensuring that potable water is always available year-round on first nations reserves; and by 2015, developing small business for sustainable communities. I'm thinking of those kinds of goals, which the three parties could agree upon together and set as goals, so that in 2017 there is a visible and a real change in the quality of life for first nations--something worth celebrating.

[Peter Dinsdale]

Thank you for the question.

I don't have that particular list here for you today, but that's exactly the sense we're trying to talk about when we say “a relationship”.

In December 2010, the Prime Minister wrote to the National Chief about wanting to work on these issues. In the spring, he committed to a joint Canada-first nations action plan that is really meant to, in these next number of years, look over what the specific deliverables are that we can deal with together. I think you've touched on them. We've talked about education being the primary priority. You mentioned housing, of course...well, I don't know if you did mention housing, but housing and water are usually also referenced with respect to infrastructure issues.

Economic development is very important as well, and we have a number of real structural barriers with respect to treaties and the claims process—both comprehensive and specific claims—which require examination and some modernization. If you do those things, I think we're coming a long way to beginning to address the conditions so that first nations themselves can be active partners in the federation. We may have some disagreement under the goals and objectives of Bill C-27, but accountability and transparency itself are important, naturally, and improved governance is important, naturally; there are just different pathways to get there.

Those are some examples without specifically saying that we need to raise the education rate to a certain percentage of the national average. In some communities, less than half of first nation children are graduating from high school. I guarantee that if half of the children in your ridings were not graduating from public education, there would be royal commissions, inquiries, and a massive national call for action, but that's the reality in first nation communities, so we as a country need to come together around that particular priority. The others are important as well, but if we were to focus on something, I'd say education is it.

[Terence Young, Conservative, Oakville, ON]

Would it be helpful—

Are we out of time?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Moore]

Yes, you're out of time. When I stick to it strictly, it goes pretty fast.

Madam Boutin-Sweet.