Evidence of meeting #12 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was north.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Who is the beneficiary of this project management office? Who has access to the information and who is the beneficiary of this process?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
In terms of the major project office, I think the information is accessible publicly, and it's not being held privately. I think the database--
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
You would have to refer that to--
Director, Resource Policy and Programs Directorate, Natural Resources and Environment Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
If I can help, it is supposed to be a public organization--
Director, Resource Policy and Programs Directorate, Natural Resources and Environment Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It is, because they have a tracking system up there whereby each individual project that comes in where there is a project agreement between federal departments to work toward key timelines for the project is put on the website and on this tracker, and you're able to track projects through this system, the regulatory system, if you will. It's supposed to be very open and transparent. I think two project agreements may already have been signed, and a few are now in the works. That should go up in the coming months as well.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
That's it, Ms. Crowder. Sorry. Thank you.
We now go to Mr. Clarke for five minutes.
Conservative
Rob Clarke Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I'd like to thank the witnesses for attending today.
As you know, in June 2008 this committee was in Nunavut for a few days at the invitation of the Nunavut Economic Forum. Members advocated strongly for the renewal of the SINED. In March 2009, budget 2009 did renew the SINED with an additional $90 million over five years. What objectives and priorities has the department defined by territory and by sector for the two SINED program components for the next five-year period?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Those decisions haven't been made in terms of the key objectives, but we have done a full evaluation of the program.
I apologize, I thought the evaluation would have been posted by now, but it will be posted later this week, as it had to go through access to information and privacy issues. That evaluation allowed us to help redefine, and generally was positive, but we redefined some of the program components, including a greater emphasis on some pan-territorial projects, which will be something new. It is a small amount of money. The objectives and priorities will be set based on the investment plans that will be discussed and approved by the minister. That process starts in May, and we're hoping to conclude the discussions with territorial governments and other stakeholders on those investment plan priorities by the end of June or early July. That will guide the funding for each territory over the next five years.
Conservative
Rob Clarke Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
To what extent, if any, might the department's previous allocation practices and criteria for funding be adjusted for the next phase of the SINED program?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
The allocation and criteria were adjusted based on the results of the evaluation, so we have made some adjustments there.
I don't know if Tim wants to comment on some of those.
Director, Northern Economic Development Directorate, Northern Strategic Policy Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
As Patrick pointed out, the strategic priorities are identified through a process of engagement with stakeholders. That's going to take place in May. I think there's an expectation, given that there was widespread support for the priorities selected in the first round, that the change is not going to be dramatic in the new set of five-year investment plans that'll be elaborated through the engagement process Patrick alluded to.
Conservative
Rob Clarke Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Will the SINED program essentially be project-based?
Director, Northern Economic Development Directorate, Northern Strategic Policy Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes.
Conservative
Rob Clarke Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Is there room for any different approaches, in terms of a longer term of economic development?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
There's the project-based approach, but there's also institutional support. For example, we have funded small business venture capital organizations that exist in the various territories. We've also helped create more institutional capacity. For example, the Nunavut economic forum didn't exist before SINED; it's something that we've nurtured. We're helping to create some of the institutions that from a civil government perspective can be a help for economic development.
Conservative
Rob Clarke Conservative Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River, SK
Okay.
To what degree have the department's priority-setting and funding decisions been done in partnership with territorial stakeholders?
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Well, the investment plans are developed as a direct result of the engagement with stakeholders from the territories. Those investment plans are then recommended to the minister, and the minister approves them, so they reflect the priorities presented by territorial residents and stakeholders.
Conservative
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
The first and most important group is made up of the territorial governments. Then we have aboriginal governments and other aboriginal organizations, chambers of commerce and chambers of mines, other industry associations, and groups of citizens. All these organizations are included in our engagement strategy.
We have circulated a pamphlet. Over the next few days this pamphlet is being sent under the signature of our deputy minister to all the northern stakeholders that are going to participate in that engagement.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
All right. Thank you.
Now we'll go to Mr. Bagnell for five minutes.
Liberal
Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT
Thank you.
There's been some complaint in the north, and I think someone else mentioned it, about the amount of money for the administration. Hopefully that's a co-commitment with the amount for programming, so if it's $50 million for staff and administration, which seems like a lot, and it was at 5%, that would make $1 billion or something for programming.
I just want to make sure that the administration is not a disproportionately large outlay.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
That's absolutely right. We are going to need to set up the types of corporate services and accountabilities, for example, that you and Parliament expect. We have to have financial officers and human resource officers, but we're also designing it in such a way that as much of those services as possible will be purchased and shared with the department so that you're not duplicating too much. As well, the organization eventually may want to partner with others. There's no use developing a financial system just for a small organization of this nature.
We're expecting about 85 to 100 staff at the early start of the organization. We're going to try to keep it as modest as possible.