Evidence of meeting #8 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 41st Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was asets.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Our understanding is that the start of the program has been pushed back to January 2014. When will the ASETS holders be informed about when they can start with their projects?
4:05 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy and Programs Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I don't think the start date.... We actually solicited proposals in July. Proposals came in at the end of August. We have reviewed those proposals through the fall. We've identified 23 successful proponents twinned with ASETS service providers. We're in the process of finalizing those projects so they can go ahead this fiscal year.
December 5th, 2013 / 4:05 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy and Programs Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I can't speak to what the jobs fund has done in terms of notification.
4:05 p.m.
Director General, Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
To date, the final decisions with respect to approving the specific projects have not been made. It's a joint proposal, so you can't go ahead with one without the other. The communities had to provide information as part of the AANDC process, and the ASETS had to provide information to us, but they had to be married up. It's just working it through to the final stages of assessment and it is coming shortly.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
The Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs has indicated that in their view the ASETS funding formula hasn't changed since 1999. Is that correct?
4:05 p.m.
Director General, Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
That is correct.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
4:05 p.m.
Director General, Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
We're consulting with the groups. We're going out and engaging all of the groups. I'm sure that as part of that, we will be looking at whether or not a recommendation should be made for additional funding, but that is part of the decision of a renewed program.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims) NDP Jinny Sims
Thank you very much.
We'll now turn it over to Ms. McLeod.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
I'd like to thank the officials for joining us today as we start what I believe is going to be a very critical and very timely study by this committee.
One quick comment that I do want to make before I head into specific questions is that I feel very fortunate to work very closely with the first nations taxation commission and Manny Jules, and with some of the great work that Tk’emlúps has done. I note that we are trying to move forward in terms of leveraging the assets of lands, but I also note that for some of our financial treatments, GST-HST being one of them, we still have some work to do in terms of how we can encourage development and support.
Again, I'll use the GST-HST as an example. As developers partner with our aboriginal communities, I think that sometimes our financial systems.... Certainly, we've spoken with the finance minister, but I guess question one is, have you been working with those issues and relaying the concerns of the communities? It is brand new. We're treading on new ground in terms of what they're doing and how they're doing it. Are you aware of these concerns? Have you been working towards resolution?
4:05 p.m.
Director General, Social Policy and Programs Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Are you talking specifically about tax issues? I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about in terms of resolution issues.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
Yes, the tax issues that relate to the land management. You talked in your opening remarks about the First Nations Land Management Act. As we have bands that are moving towards partnering, they're finding some real roadblocks in terms of land titles, GST treatment, etc. As I say, they're breaking new ground, but is that something you're working on with Finance?
4:05 p.m.
Director General, Policy and Coordination Branch, Lands and Economic Development Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I can speak to that.
The first nations land management regime is a very critical piece of economic development. There's a very strong correlation between first nations that are in the FNLM and their economic outcomes. In the last budget there were a number of initiatives which we have undertaken. There is more money committed to getting more first nations into the first nations land management regime. To date, that's been quite successful. There is a marked interest in moving into that regime.
With respect to some of the other issues, particularly some of the work that Manny Jules has been doing around the first nations property ownership initiative, there's a whole bunch of different issues that are related to that. It does, I think, identify some of the issues we have with working around the Indian Act, in that there needs to be more creative thinking about how we work outside the Indian Act. The FNLMA, as an example, is a piece of optional legislation that first nations can use to move out of the land sections of the Indian Act and be more effective in terms of their own economic development.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
I have a briefing with three specific issues, which I'll share with you. It does relate obviously to job development, but it does relate to some of the impediments as we move forward. I'm trying to really understand the ASETS. You talked about it as being the flagship program, obviously with by far the most significant dollars.
So if I'm Jane and I know there is perhaps a mine that's going to open in three years near my community or in my community, and I'm a single mom, and I have my grade 11 education, and I want an opportunity in that mine, how am I going to feed into that? Am I going to go down the SPF track? Am I going to go down the ASETS track? How am I going to weave into the opportunities? Maybe you could walk me through why I'd end up in one program, rather than the other. What are the benefits of one over the other? How logistically...because I don't have them quite straightened out in my head.
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
I'll start with the ASETS, which is our flagship program.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
Depending where she is, there will be a point of service. We have over 600 points of service across the country through our 85 ASETS agreements. That's a catchment for everybody, and so if I'm Jane and I'm going in, there will be a door for me very close by that I can go through.
The second path is if there happens to be an SPF project in place that is dedicated directly to that initiative. Under SPF if they were training mine workers in that area, there would be an office dedicated to that. As part of the formation of the SPF project, there are linkages between the ASETS and the SPF. It could be that the SPF project is running a recruitment process, and I see it in the newspaper so I know what door to go through. I may hear it on the radio, or I may see it when I go into the ASETS office. If there's an SPF project that is dedicated to that mine, I will be referred to the correct place for the training in that mine. The company that's running that mine has an interest in getting the people who they need, and they're making an investment, so it works very well that way.
In the absence of an SPF, Jane, as the single mother, would go through the door of the ASETS. Actually, you were handed out a chart, I believe, that goes through the process. Jane goes through the door and she will get to meet with somebody and be assessed.
There are basically four different categories that she would be assessed on. She would be assessed on a career decision. What is the type of career I want? Is mining the place that I want to be? What kind of work do I need to get there? I will also have access to skills enhancement, essential skills that I might need before I actually get training to work in the mine. There's specific work experience and self-employment training as well, and in there I would have some support. You mentioned being a single mother. Child care is an eligible expense under all our programming and is identified as an essential part of doing it. If I am a single mother and cannot find child care for my child, I can't take advantage of an opportunity.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
For the SPF program, do I get the advantage of child care?
4:10 p.m.
Director General, Aboriginal Affairs Directorate, Department of Human Resources and Skills Development
It's an eligible expense under SPF as well.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Cathy McLeod Conservative Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, BC
It sounds a little bit similar in terms of what they're doing and what they're providing. Have you analyzed the effectiveness in terms of one program versus—
4:10 p.m.
NDP
The Vice-Chair (Ms. Jinny Jogindera Sims) NDP Jinny Sims
I'm sorry, you are out of time, but I'm sure that with the time we have left, your turn will come again.
I'm going to Madame Groguhé.
4:10 p.m.
NDP
