Evidence of meeting #78 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was building.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10:25 a.m.
Assistant Comptroller General, Acquired Services and Assets Sector, Office of the Comptroller General of Canada
From our perspective, Parks Canada has a mandate in that area, and although it's embedded in Treasury Board policy, we advise custodians that they're talking to Parks Canada when they need that concrete advice. That makes the most sense, because certainly the heritage expertise is not at Treasury Board—that's all in general administration.
Did you want to add anything, Ms. Charrois?
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
John Aldag Liberal Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Do the departments listen when they're directed to Parks Canada?
10:25 a.m.
Director, Cultural Heritage Policies, Parks Canada Agency
The people we work with are listening.
The ones that come to us are working...and I hope they're all coming.
10:25 a.m.
Director, Cultural Heritage Policies, Parks Canada Agency
We don't have statistics, but we've seen all the main projects, for sure.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
John Aldag Liberal Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
This is my final question and then Mr. Fisher has one.
On the Treasury Board submission, there's a discussion about this three-year review regarding the funding that was announced in budget 2017 that will include horizontal issues, including heritage considerations. I'm just wondering if you have any thoughts. Is it too early to share with us what the outcomes will be? Would there be anything of use that we would want to consider from this study?
10:25 a.m.
Assistant Comptroller General, Acquired Services and Assets Sector, Office of the Comptroller General of Canada
I don't think that timing will align with your study, unfortunately. It was just recently launched.
It wasn't funding announced, but it was a review that was launched.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
Thank you, John. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Charrois, Parks Canada has a combined mandate of balancing Canada's natural environment with built heritage. Does one aspect of this mandate take precedence over the other and are these roles at odds with each other?
10:25 a.m.
Director, Cultural Heritage Policies, Parks Canada Agency
I wouldn't say they are at odds. They're both considered when we're making decisions. In terms of reporting, we're asked to report on anything that we're doing on the ecological front, whereas with the commemorative integrity is something that we do because we want to do it. There's no mandate, with the exception of the act of the agency, that's asking us to report on this. It's something we do. I think we're getting better in the management of both as well.
Also, with the indigenous components, there's a lot we can do on the heritage cultural aspect in our national parks. It's much more than we thought we could to. It's also a new avenue that we're looking at.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
There are some blurred lines though. Do you have any comment on whether built heritage would be better off at a different ministry?
10:25 a.m.
Director, Cultural Heritage Policies, Parks Canada Agency
I cannot answer this question. I really don't have an answer.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
Darren Fisher Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS
What about with its own legislation? I know it's not very fair to handcuff you like that.
10:25 a.m.
Director, Cultural Heritage Policies, Parks Canada Agency
Thank you.
Legislation is stronger than policy. That's just a fact.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
I think we had some witness statements that went down that path.
Just for the last few seconds, is there anything else you'd like to add? Do you see where we're going with this?
We're trying desperately to get a good balance and get further ahead on heritage than we are today. Is there anything you'd like to share with us that hasn't already come out that could assist us in writing our report?
10:25 a.m.
Assistant Comptroller General, Acquired Services and Assets Sector, Office of the Comptroller General of Canada
I think that the government has lots of levers. We have sticks and carrots, so you want to make sure that you've examined the full range. We talked about how legislation trumps policy, for example, so it has to work together as a whole system.
That would be my only advice. Make sure you look at the whole package, including the non-mandatory things we do, like sharing best practices and working with the real property and heritage communities to make sure that they're aware of some of the great successes we have and learn that they can adopt some of those practices themselves. A lot can be done outside the mandatory legislative realm.
10:25 a.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Deb Schulte
I want to thank each of you for taking the time to come and share with us your wisdom and thoughts. As you can see, we're drilling down to try and get the actual figures. What are the numbers? What are the percentages? We're still struggling with that.
I have given a second or third round of questioning and now, I have a very short time to get to the business that we need to do for the end of the meeting, so I'm going to ask if everybody could clear the room quite quickly.
I'll suspend for a very short time and we'll get back to business. Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]