Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'm very pleased to begin, since I have many good things to tell you, especially on issues of concern to you.
First, I would like to thank the committee for inviting me today to discuss supplementary estimates (B) 2019-20. As you said, this is the first time I have had an opportunity to appear before your committee. I am very honoured to be here.
I am lucky to be joined by very good officials, who are supported by equally good teams from the Treasury Board Secretariat. On my left is Glenn Purves, assistant secretary of the expenditure management sector. On my right is Karen Cahill, assistant secretary and chief financial officer. A bit further to my left is Marcia Santiago, executive director, expenditure strategies and estimates. As you may have suspected, the three of them will make it their duty to answer any questions you consider relevant to this highly important issue. I am talking about the rigorous and effective financial management of the Canadian government's expenditures and investments.
In all, Mr. Chair, these estimates we are about to speak on describe a total of $5.6 billion in planned budgetary spending. Of this amount, I would remind you that $1.8 billion is already authorized to what we call existing legislation. Thus, with these supplementary estimates, the government seeks authority for $3.8 billion in additional voted spending.
These new expenditure spending plans will ensure the government continues to deliver on its commitments to Canadians in a number of important areas. These include significant investments in advancing reconciliation with indigenous peoples; in supporting the dedicated men and women of the Canadian Armed Forces; and in working with our partners across Canada to address climate change.
In keeping with the commitment we made in budget 2019, total funding of $919 million, which was allocated to Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, will be used to write off the loans disbursed to first nations and Inuit communities, as well as to the Métis nation, for negotiations of comprehensive land claims. Those loans were disbursed to ensure that Canada's indigenous peoples would have the resources they need to participate in land claim negotiations in a meaningful and equitable way.
In many cases, however, the negotiation of those modern treaties, which is so important in today's context, has taken much longer and been much more difficult than expected. In addition, those loans have become a heavy burden for too many communities. In some cases, those loans came up to tens of millions of dollars. For small communities, that was a considerable obstacle to economic and social development.
So those debts will be remitted, and the communities that have paid back loans in the past will be reimbursed.
A further $588.3 million will be allocated to Indigenous Services Canada. These funds are required to support ongoing efforts to meet the critical need to improve indigenous child and family services, which is absolutely essential, including expanding prevention and early intervention programs. As I am certain this committee will agree, the transformation of these services is absolutely crucial to reconciliation and self-determination, to righting past wrongs and moving in the right way. It is even more critical to a new generation of indigenous children, when we remember that fewer than 8% of Canadian children under 14 are indigenous, yet these indigenous children account for more than 52% of children in foster care in private homes.
An additional $232 million to Indigenous Services Canada will provide for the ongoing implementation of Jordan's principle. These funds will help ensure that indigenous children across Canada have access to the same specialized health, education and social service supports as any other child in this country.
Regarding expectations, Canadians have clearly indicated numerous times that they expect all levels of government to take strong action in the fight against climate change.
The expenditure plans set out in these estimates include a continued $109-million investment in Canada's climate action incentive fund to help small and medium-sized businesses, municipalities, universities, hospitals and schools implement their carbon and pollution reduction projects, as well as their energy efficiency enhancement projects.
As all committee members probably know, the climate action incentive fund is funded through the products and royalties of the federal carbon pollution pricing system. Moreover, as per the commitment made in budget 2019, the estimates include a $950-million contribution by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, which is more than double the capitalization of its green municipal fund to foster local green innovation across the country. Since its creation in 2000, that fund has contributed $862 million in support of more than 1,300 sustainable development initiatives in municipalities across Canada, and I specify, while preserving every dollar of capital provided by the Canadian government.
Therefore, this new investment will help launch a certain number of new funding streams, from the affordable housing innovation fund—we know how critical of an issue housing in Canada is in terms of affordability, economic development and the fight against pollution and greenhouse gas emissions—to the community ecoefficiency acceleration fund.
Mr. Chair, Canadians also expect that Canada's armed forces will be there when they are needed to protect the safety and security of Canadians here at home and abroad and to contribute to global security as partners in joint missions abroad.
That is the aim of the Government of Canada's defence policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged”. To ensure that our armed forces are equipped to meet these expectations and these needs, the estimates that we have in front of us include a planned allocation of almost $500 million to the Department of National Defence. These funds will be an investment in the equipment, infrastructure and information technology systems that are absolutely essential to the operation and maintenance of a modern armed service.
A further $128.5 million will support current overseas operations. To be more precise, that will include the ongoing land force deployment in Latvia as part of NATO's deterrence mission in central and eastern Europe, and in Africa where members of the Royal Canadian Air Force are currently providing tactical airlift support to UN peacekeeping operations from their base in Uganda.
In terms of highlights of these estimates, I would also mention one other substantial item: $138 million to the Office of Infrastructure of Canada. The largest part of this amount, $106 million, relates to the completion of the Champlain Bridge Corridor project in Montreal that many of us know is a vital transportation link for more than 60 million vehicles each year.
In closing, I can only provide the highlights of the estimates in the time I have. The estimates and the relevant documents you have access to give all parliamentarians—and all Canadians—the possibility to help the Canadian government act responsibly by allocating public funding to important issues that matter to all Canadians across the country.
In keeping with our government's commitment to increase transparency to a level that enables me to meet the expectations of both Canadians and parliamentarians, I would like to point out that a substantial amount of additional information is also available online. In fact, it is not only available online, but is also presented in an increasingly accessible format to Canadians. That way, parliamentarians and Canadians could understand the impacts of our investments in our families, our children, our seniors, our armed forces, our infrastructure, as well as in indigenous peoples.
I look forward to a thorough examination of these estimates by parliamentarians of whom you are distinguished representatives today and to any questions they may have or you may have as we work together to invest in meeting the priorities, needs and expectations of Canadians.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I will now be happy to take any questions the committee may have.
