Evidence of meeting #19 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 40th Parliament, 3rd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was million.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
The Vice-Chair Liberal Todd Russell
Thank you, Mr. Dreeshen.
Now we'll go to Ms. Crowder for the last five minutes with the minister.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I have two questions. If I have time, I'll ask something else.
The overview on page 9 of the supplementary estimates indicates that some of the increases in the budget are going to be partially offset by decreases of $38 million in capital. I wondered what was being cut out of the capital budget to the tune of $38 million.
The second question was around the urban aboriginal strategy. The document indicates that the program will be sunsetted. Of course, that will have a direct impact on friendship centres, so I wondered if there are plans for a replacement program and what the mechanism is for that.
Conservative
Chuck Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
While the deputy digs up a couple of those details... The friendship centres, of course, are funded through Heritage Canada.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
They deliver a lot of the urban aboriginal strategy. Yes, I understand that. I'm concerned about the urban aboriginal strategy part of it.
Conservative
Chuck Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
There's no attempt to wind down the urban aboriginal strategy. I'm not sure what the--
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
On page 9 and page 39 in plans and priorities there is no future budget allocation beyond 2012. It indicates that it's sunsetted 2012–13.
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
That's just a normal sunsetting. We'll have to go back to argue for its extension beyond April 1.
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
We certainly intend to argue it; I can't guarantee the result.
Conservative
Chuck Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
It's fairly typical in that budget process. It's like water and waste water. We had a two-year action plan, then we renewed for another two years. There will be more needs. I think it will always be a priority for governments, but it's the same for the urban aboriginal strategy.
My sense is that not only is the government in favour of it, but I think what we've seen in some of the data that's come out and some of the recent polling and so on, 50% of first nations are living an urban life.
Conservative
Chuck Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
Yes, it's more than half now, so we need to do a good job. Thankfully, provinces are also chomping pretty eagerly at the bit now asking to work together on this--and not just provinces, as we have cities coming to us and asking what they can do to work on it. The urban aboriginal strategy isn't everywhere, unfortunately. It's been targeted to a certain number of major urban centres, and I think it has been excellent, considering it's a relatively new program, if you will.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
It's an important program for the ongoing function of the friendship centres, because a lot of the money is delivered through them. I understand they're funded somewhere else, but they need that program.
What about the capital decrease?
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Yes, I did find that. This is money that we use to pick up land that's either available through simple purchases on the open market or surplus federal properties that then can be translated into land claim settlements. Simply, we had a lot of business last year, and we won't have a lot this year, just given what's going on at the negotiating tables.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
I don't need to tell you the Hul'qumi'num Treaty Group is very interested in having land available to them. I would suspect that a number of nations—
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
It's related to your earlier question, the probability of getting to yes in the next fiscal year. If we ever got a deal with them or with Six Nations, then we'd deal with it.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
On page 27 of the plans and priorities document there's a statement around modernizing oil and gas regulations. What's happening with that?
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
That's pursuant to the bill you passed last year.
Deputy Minister, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
The gist of the bill was to create a regulation-making power to keep up with state-of-the-art oil and gas regulations used by the provinces. We're working directly with the first nations organizations on the drafting and the implications.
NDP
Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Okay, so that's fulfilling the commitment in that bill.
Am I still good?
Conservative
Chuck Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Fraser Canyon, BC
As you remember, that was one of the things that was promised from first nations involved in Indian oil and gas. What was important to them was for it to be developed in the regulations themselves, so that's what that's about.