Thank you, Mr. Chair.
First, I'd like to thank you for inviting me to have the privilege of addressing you. We're here to discuss issues that are important to Nunavut. There are many issues, and they're big and they're complex. Nunavut is a unique territory in terms of it not being that simple to get a simple task done.
We thank you that you're going to help us build our communities better and stronger, and that's what we need. As the Minister of Community and Government Services, I am responsible for the projects, the programs, and the services that contribute to building capacity in Nunavut communities. I have to do that in a timely and cost-effective manner.
We appreciate the funds we get, and we have to make sure that these funds are spent wisely. Although the municipalities are funded through our department, there are very few that are tax-based. Therefore, they're all block funded, so all the funds to run all the communities come through the GN, the Government of Nunavut.
I'm very grateful that there's a growing trend toward long-term, multi-year federal funding. It is especially important that there is long-term funding for projects, so that we can have our plans laid out in a multi-year plan, so that we don't always have to rush and spend the money quickly because there's a deadline in terms of funding and project ends.
It was encouraging to see that some of the investments in the 2017 budget will help Nunavut's economy grow and diversify. Aside from the four areas that were identified, I'm concerned that there are other areas that are not being addressed. I'd like to address those.
Improving the connectivity in the north needs to be built into the federal funding strategy in future budgets. More focus in this area will have major beneficial impacts on overall development in the territory. I believe we're the only territory that does not have any fibre optic broadband links. We're all satellite, and I believe on two occasions we had problems with satellites and had no communications at all within Nunavut. That is a serious problem when it occurs, as we're all aware that everything is connected to the Internet now. It's just a fact and a way of life.
Having access to improved, affordable Internet will increase businesses' and economic benefits and enable better delivery of services to residents, as well as better access for education and health, for both youth and adults. Once the people of Nunavut are connected to the global economy, they will find ways to empower themselves. That is the story of Nunavut.
Although we have been very resilient and resourceful throughout our history, we need the proper tools to adapt to many of the challenges. We know now that, with the Internet, you have a global audience and a global economy, and as long as you have the transportation connection and the Internet connection, the economies of scale are worldwide.
Nunavut is a vast territory with potential, and it'll take considerable investment on the part of the Government of Canada to help unlock the potential, but it's a worthwhile venture. We believe that any funds that are invested in Nunavut will bring many more investments back, because unemployment is really high and we need the jobs that are available with the help of the Canadian government.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.