Evidence of meeting #29 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was money.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes. Neither the demographic changes nor the inflation rate are reflected in the equation. There is also compensation to the provinces that must be paid. So we do end up working miracles from time to time.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Barry Devolin
Thank you.
We're at a point where I can continue with the roster, or at this point.... I know Ms. Crowder has another question, and I know Ms. Neville would like to ask another question. If we can agree, they would complete our third round. If that is acceptable to members, this would finish the third round.
Ms. Crowder, you have five minutes.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
I have a couple of quick questions.
Going back to the British Columbia First Nation Education Agreement, was it with new money, or was that money diverted from any existing funds?
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I believe it was new money. When I'm speaking of the organizations that would be created as part of the legislation, I believe that is with new money.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
What about the $600,000 that is in the estimates? There's $600,000, on page 15-7, in transfer payments.
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I believe it's new, but we'll correct that—
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
So none of the money that went to the B.C First Nation Education Agreement came from any other source?
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
No.
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
No.
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Not for setting up the infrastructure of organizations and—
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Was there any money that went to B.C. that was diverted from somewhere else around this education agreement?
What I'm learning is that if I don't specifically ask the right question, I don't get the right answer.
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
No.
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Not around the implementation of the agreement. The money that was put in the offer for interim band funding came from the regional budget.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
It came from the regional budget, which would mean that people would have had to make decisions, then, about.... If it came from the regional budget and wasn't brand new money, it would have meant, as Monsieur Lemay was pointing out, that because of the 2% cap they would have had to make a decision not to fund X because they have to fund Y out of the regional budget.
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Over a number of years, they have been providing additional funding for education. In British Columbia, they use something they call an IBOF, an “interim band operating funding” formula, which—
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
You're familiar with it. They now have, essentially, established that as their base amount of funding for education in British Columbia.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I have a quick question on water. It's a bit deceptive to talk about water operating systems, because there are a significant number of houses on reserve that simply are not hooked up to water systems. Garden Hill is a good example of that. My understanding is that there's a functioning water system, but a significant part of that community isn't hooked up.
Can you tell us how many homes on reserves are not hooked up to water systems?
Acting Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Socio-Economic Policy and Regional Operations, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I don't know—
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It would be a lot, because a lot are on wells and septic systems. Part of the strategy we want to use is that if they deliver clean, safe water, they may be the appropriate thing. We may not want to put pipes out to the back part of a community.
The test is whether safe water is available, not whether houses—
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Can you tell us how many of the wells that are serving the communities are safe?
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
That's what we're working on, with more rigorous inspection of wells and safe small systems—