Evidence of meeting #32 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.
12:35 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Regarding CanNor, coming from a rural and isolated part of Canada, I realize how important regional economic development is and the help it gets.
CanNor has been developed, and I'm thrilled to see that. It has been developed as an agency, and it's strong, it's there. Perhaps you can explain to me why it wasn't introduced as a program and why it was introduced as an agency--very simple.
12:35 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Frankly, I think a program would mean that the agency is part of a department. I believe the idea behind the Prime Minister's decision--because he's the one who makes the decision on these machinery issues--was to ensure that there was enough profile that was given to the agency. As you know, all of the other regional development agencies, with the exception of FedNor, have their own deputy minister at the head of it.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
So by making it an agency it has a better profile, it has better representation, and it is responsible to Parliament. It's a better vehicle.
12:40 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
It's always responsible to Parliament through a minister, so that hasn't changed. But I think it's more in terms of visibility, profile--
12:40 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Your words, but I would--
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
Yes, okay. Very good.
I'll leave it at that. I won't dig any further. I think I've got what I need on that.
In regard to the Mackenzie Valley pipeline project, I understand there's been $10.7 million spent over the last four years, and the authority for that really came out in February of this year when the budget was passed. Under what authority was the $10.7 million spent? Who authorized the spending of that money over the past four years? It seems like we've had the program, the money is out there and it's being spent, but who's authorizing it?
12:40 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
First of all, I know it's not under the responsibility of CanNor, and I don't believe it's under the responsibility of INAC either. I believe it comes under the Department of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
So it was the Minister of Transport who was approving--
12:40 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Patrick wants to comment here--
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
If I could, this question has actually been put before. Can you tie your question into...?
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
I'm elaborating on the question that was asked before.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
I understand that, but we're really getting into technical questions about appropriations, and our study topic is really about identifying barriers to economic development. It sounds to me more like a question of process and authorization that might be better directed to a different committee.
If you could make the tie in terms of an economic barrier, perhaps that might clarify the question.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Yes. Mr. Borbey shed some light on some things, and I think that question would be most legitimate, because he gave an indication that the funds were authorized under the action plan, and the action plan was authorized on the budget vote in 2009. So when Mr. Rota says that the funds were expended prior to that, you may be right that we have a process question, but it's in the context of economic development in the north.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Yes. We need to make the connection. The chief purpose of our investigation and study is to really identify what barriers are in front of us and also to consider what then leads logically into gaps and considerations for addressing some of these opportunities.
So if you can tie the question in that way, we'll let you go.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
In light of that, I guess the question would be if accountability, or the lack of it, is a barrier to development in the north.
12:40 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
I may answer that. I believe I'm accountable. The minister's accountable. I'm sure you didn't want--
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
Anthony Rota Liberal Nipissing—Timiskaming, ON
I'm sorry, that wasn't a fair question to you. That should have been sooner, in a different light.
But no, I was concerned about the amount of money that has been spent and where it was coming from. It sounds like it's coming under your jurisdiction now, but it's not.
12:40 p.m.
President and Deputy Minister, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
It is not.
12:40 p.m.
Liberal
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Bruce Stanton
Thank you very much, Mr. Rota.
Mr. Rickford will be the next speaker.
12:40 p.m.
Conservative
Greg Rickford Conservative Kenora, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the witnesses.
I want to focus on how aboriginal economic development fits into this. In the great Kenora riding we've been having tremendous success within the last year in strengthening the position of first nations communities and providing effective instruments--outside of INAC, but through some of the rounds of funding in Canada's economic action plan--which have served to markedly improve, as compared to previous years, the ability of first nations communities to interact in the private sector. That analysis, and the policies and announcements that have flowed from it, have gone a long way in a very short period of time to bringing the requisite infrastructure requirements and community development pieces together for them, with them.
I see the situation in the north.... My riding extends to the shores of the Hudson Bay, and it's a little bit difficult for me to not think of my riding as anything but the north.
We want to understand--for the benefit of the committee--the aboriginal economic development framework. It was mentioned earlier that we've set new priorities for an aboriginal economic development program that would be pan-national. I was wondering, Patrick, if you could expound on those a little bit. Perhaps then we could hear how these investments could be targeted to first nations in the territories and what strategies you're planning to employ within those two frameworks--if I can call your exciting new program a framework.
12:45 p.m.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Northern Affairs, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
I'll start and then I'll turn it over to Nicole.
The responsibility for that part of the department rests with Sara Filbee, the assistant deputy minister. She is supporting the minister in terms of unrolling the new framework. The framework does certainly have some new measures, new funding available to first nations across the country.
When it comes to northern first nations or aboriginal groups, the decision was made that CanNor would be the delivery agent for the framework in the north. Nicole is working with Sara in terms of ensuring a smooth transition there.