Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Dec. 1st, 2010

[Michael Wernick]

The approach that we're generally working on with issues related to governance is that these will have to come from leaders of first nations communities and they will be the driving force on it. There were four previous attempts under governments of two different stripes to legislate on elections and governance and none of them passed.

So what we've seen is a lot of discussion led by first nations groups. The Atlantic Policy Congress, which is the group in Atlantic Canada, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, and now the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations are all interested in reforming electoral law. What we have is the Indian Act, which is not terribly satisfactory, especially two-year terms of office, and then custom election codes, which are not very transparent and accountable.

So they're out there trying to fine-tune these and build support. If there's enough support, I think the government will probably choose to proceed. That's a decision they haven't taken yet. If there's not a lot of consensus, I don't know if it will happen in the life of this Parliament. You probably have more control over that than I do.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Could you expand on some of the specifics of the northern strategy thoughts for this upcoming year?

[Michael Wernick]

The northern strategy is out in public. It has been a very useful framework. It's not, as they say, rocket science. There's an emphasis on economic and social development, an emphasis on environmental protection, an emphasis on our sovereignty, and an emphasis on governance and institutions.

We've seen progress in all of those areas. There has been a lot of focus on the economic action plan, as the previous question alluded to. There have been investments in social areas. There are the regulatory improvements in Bill C-25, which we hope you will get to debate fairly soon, and a lot of investments in science under the International Polar Year, the commitment to the research station, and so on.

My expectation next year is that there will be a lot of focus on regulatory change in the north to make sure that the development takes place and takes place in a sustainable manner. We'll see a lot of work in those areas and hopefully some progress on devolution to the Northwest Territories, perhaps Nunavut as well, and probably a range of initiatives across other government departments.

There are actually a lot of things that have been launched, like the research station, the Nanisivik facility, Cambridge Bay, and so on, where the main job the public service will have will be implementation.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Okay.

I'm just wondering if you could perhaps tell us something about your thoughts on the impact that the apology to the Inuit has had on helping with the federal Inuit relations.

[Michael Wernick]

I wasn't there. The minister was. But I did talk to him about it and with other people who were there.

I was there for the apology in the House of Commons. It's very difficult to overstate the impact these gestures of reconciliation have. I don't think people who work outside the field of aboriginal affairs understand how much it matters. It was very moving and meaningful for the elders and for the communities.

There are a lot of social and economic issues in those communities and a lot of things going on, but it just creates a reset of the relationships between people and their government, which is really important. It's hard to measure in public accounts or performance reports, but every account I've heard of that and of the 2008 apology is that they just make.... The reverberations will happen for years.

[Earl Dreeshen, Conservative, Red Deer, AB]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Mr. Dreeshen, thank you.

Witnesses, thank you as well. I dispensed with the formal introductions here this afternoon in the interests of time. It was great to have you all here this afternoon. I'm sorry that our meeting was interrupted. That of course, as you will know, happens some of the time.

I have two quick things for committee members.

First, I will just report back on our report on northern economic development. We can get 300 copies for about $400. It ends up being a cost that's considerably less than what we talked about the last day.

The other is another reminder for next week. If the parties can have your suggestions in for witnesses for the study on specific claims by Wednesday of next week, there is a subcommittee meeting on Thursday morning and it would be great to have those suggestions in so that the subcommittee can begin to work up that witness list for our next study on specific claims.

We're back here on Monday afternoon. On both Monday and Wednesday afternoons, we'll be back into our study on child and family services. We'll see you back here then.

Thanks very much. The meeting is adjourned.