Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on March 23rd, 2010

[Christine Cram]

It doesn't include core funding, no.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

While they need core funding to continue, you're telling them to apply to a program where you don't provide core funding.

[Christine Cram]

But under the program, and I'll just give an example, you can fund particular programs. So there are elements that the First Nations University currently undertakes that would be eligible for the ISSP program.

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Would you not agree, though, that they're saying they need core funding, this is the way this university needs to go forward, and what the minister is offering is basically nothing in terms of making sure that this university continues to survive? You're offering them something that does not meet the need.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

That's it, Mr. Russell.

Can you just respond briefly to that last question? Then we'll move on.

[Christine Cram]

I would just note that on Sunday evening the department did receive a plan from the First Nations University of Canada. We are currently reviewing it.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Thank you, Mr. Russell.

The next member to take the floor is Mr. Lemay, who will also have seven minutes.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Minister Norris, good evening. You have heard—

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Look at the image over here.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Minister, since you are on television to my right, I will be looking in that direction.

Mr. Minister, you have heard the statement made by the deputy minister of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. Since I am a lawyer in my spare time, I am going to read you something. Ms. Cram, you can correct me if I am wrong.

There is a program related to native studies meant for supporting core operations. It is a $22 million program, and $7.3 million of that funding was allocated to the First Nations University. It has been announced that the program will be cut.

Mr. Minister, today I saw certain documents that I was not supposed to see because they were not translated. I saw them anyway. I saw the likely agreement. We cannot talk about the agreement. We will not talk about it, Mr. Minister, but you are on the right track.

That being said, the Deputy Minister said in her statement that just like other eligible institutions, the First Nations University of Canada is always encouraged to submit proposals for funding consideration, provided that the proposals are within program guidelines.

Mr. Minister, here is my question for the deputy minister. Ms. Deputy Minister, do you believe that the First Nations University was until recently following the program guidelines and that, if not for administrative problems, it would still be entitled to the sum of $7.3 million?

[Christine Cram]

That is a very difficult question, Mr. Lemay. It is clear—

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Let's try to answer the question tactfully.

[Christine Cram]

Okay, thanks.

Clearly, there were challenges involved in the situation of which you speak. That is why the department decided to allocate funds for this year, 2009-2010, based on performance. In my statement, I have talked about the relationship between these funds and the delivery of specific services.

We decided to proceed in this manner in 2009-2010 because we were not receiving the necessary documents on time. As I have explained, though the documents were due in June and in January, those that were due in June were received in March. In the end, both sets of documents were received in March.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

What if by chance there was an agreement between First Nations in Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan's Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour which would perhaps meet your requirements? What if this agreement was spelled out in a document that we are not allowed to talk about and that you might get a glimpse of soon?

Would it be possible for the government to set some money aside, perhaps around $7 million, to come up with a solution after talking to the minister? I am certain that the minister who has been listening to our discussion will contact your minister by phone over the course of the next few hours, unless the $7.3 million sum has already been allocated or distributed.

[Christine Cram]

Thank you, Mr. Lemay. No decision has been made with regard to the $7.3 million in question.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Listen to this, Mr. Minister.

[Christine Cram]

No decision has been made. It is possible that there is a memorandum of understanding or other agreements. That is our understanding of this situation. It would perhaps be possible to approve a proposal for the Indian Studies Support Program, but the recipient would have to be a partner. Perhaps there could be a partnership with the University of Regina.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Therefore, all is not lost. There is still work to be done. Mr. Minister, I wish you good luck.

Good luck to the First Nations University.

I have no further questions, unless you would like to add something, Ms. Cram.

[Christine Cram]

Yes, but—

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

This “but” worries me.

[Christine Cram]

I mean to say that it all depends on the proposal, and the proposal must be within the guidelines. We will not know how this will turn out until we have received the proposal and analyzed it.

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

I agree with you, but there is still a possibility. Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Thank you, Mr. Lemay.

Ms. Crowder now has seven minutes.

[Jean Crowder, NDP, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to thank the witnesses for appearing today. I'm going to have a question for Ms. Cram and for Minister Norris.

Ms. Cram, just to clarify, because I'm less optimistic than monsieur Lemay, my understanding of what you're saying is that the ISSP money, the $7.3 million, will be allocated to the Province of Saskatchewan for post-secondary education; however, it will be proposal-driven and will not provide core funding.

[Christine Cram]

I would say, Ms. Crowder, no, I'm not saying... There have been no decisions made about who would be recipients of the $7.3 million.