Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on Nov. 24th, 2011

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Okay.

How has implementation been on land issues with the Inuvialuit to date?

[Paula Isaak]

I'd have to defer to my colleague on that.

Stephen?

[Stephen Gagnon, Director General, Implementation Branch, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Do you have a specific question, sir?

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

The Auditor General, when she reviewed Inuvialuit claims implementation, made some very strong references in terms of the land management regime and the failure of the federal government to deal with land management issues in a timely fashion.

[Stephen Gagnon]

We have had a fair bit of scrutiny on the implementation issues from the Auditor General, and various parliamentary committees. Recently, the Auditor General came out with a report saying that we were making satisfactory progress in a number of areas, and I don't think I'm overstating it by saying some of the Inuvialuit follow-up is among the things on which we are making progress.

I've just been handed a note saying that the point of the audit was about land exchanges, and we have made some progress there. That was one of the things that was followed up on in the audit.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

Can you provide us with more details on the work that's being done on the Surface Rights Board Act?

[Paula Isaak]

I can provide you more details. I'll have to follow up. It is being consulted.

[Dennis Bevington, NDP, Western Arctic, NT]

And perhaps you could also provide details on a consultation schedule, because I know that last summer in the talks that I had with aboriginal groups across the north, there was a real sense that they didn't know what this was about. They were very concerned about the change in authority that it might entail for their already existing arrangements.

I would very much like to see those details. I don't know how much detail you can provide us, to this committee, but I think it would be very valuable.

[Paula Isaak]

We will follow up, yes.

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

You have just one minute left, if you have you have another question.

Ms. Duncan, just a short question.

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Thanks for your brief, it's really helpful.

On your reference to the further work on implementing the Northwest Territories cumulative impact monitoring program and the Nunavut general monitoring plan, I recall that the commissioner for sustainable development basically castigated the government for failure to monitor. In fact, I think it was the Auditor General, Sheila Fraser, who castigated the government for failure to do cumulative impact assessment of developments in the Northwest Territories and for failure to deliver on federal responsibilities to monitor.

Is this new work in response to that? Does it address her recommendations and report?

[Paula Isaak]

Yes, it coincides very much with that recommendation. The NWT cumulative impact monitoring program has been in place since 1999, and secured funding was found in 2010 to ensure that there was an ongoing program for—

[Linda Duncan, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

So a decade later the money was found?

[The Chair, Conservative, Chris Warkentin]

Excuse me, Ms. Duncan, your time has long expired.

Mr. Rickford for seven minutes.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate this opportunity to work through some foundational briefings, particularly with the branch or branches that deal with a number of issues that we see and feel so far need to be addressed.

I appreciate your time here today. I'm going to move very quickly to a couple of questions. You mentioned the Gwich'in plan and the draft Sahtu land use plans. I just want to revisit very quickly, if I may, Paula, the Nunavut North Baffin and Kivalliq regions. I understand that a draft plan is in place for West Kitikmeot as well. This work is currently being updated for incorporation within the territory-wide Nunavut land use plan.

This is something that we come up against so often, in terms of issues and challenges. It's a matter of ensuring that these regions can ultimately be fully integrated, along with the great work of the Nunavut Planning Commission, towards something with consistency and certainty. Are there any current issues or challenges that you could comment on briefly, or things that we should be thinking about?

[Paula Isaak]

I think everybody recognizes the importance of having those plans in place. They are driven by the various commissions across the north. It's complex and challenging work, so they often take more time than originally planned, but it's careful and important work. The planning commissions are on track generally with the work, taking in as much input as possible from all the parties and communities. It's a very consultative process and so it takes some time, but it's careful work.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Thank you.

I'll just move on to Yukon for a quick second. The federal responsibility for land-use planning was transferred to the Yukon territorial government as part of the 2003 devolution agreement. What is the approach to land-use planning in Yukon? Again, very briefly, if you could just perhaps enlighten us on some of the distinctions, if there are any, we might see there as opposed to in the other territories.

[Paula Isaak]

There is a Yukon land-use planning commission. I'm not sure of the level of activity right now because it's something that we're a bit distanced from, given the devolution agreement. I know some regional plans are under way in Yukon. There's one approved and they are working on other plans, but they're working at the pace set by the parties involved. I believe it's an appropriate pace for the governments and the parties involved. I'm not familiar with exactly where the planning commission is right now.

I don't know, Stephen, from your implementation work, whether there's anything you could to add on that.

[Stephen Gagnon]

No.

As Paula pointed out, it's now more of an issue between the territorial government and the various first nations governments in Yukon. We have a much smaller role.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

I'll leave it there, then, because I think we have the means to follow up in more depth.

I want to turn to land-use planning supporting economic development. Appreciably in your speech, Paula, you identified environmental protection, the promotion of social and cultural values, and you said that opportunities for economic development needed to be maintained. I would respectfully submit that this should include maintaining and increasing the capacity for economic development, because I think that's what the study is going to want to take a look at in order to put them in the best position with these tools we're talking about.

Just very quickly, so far, what are some of the similar and perhaps unique matters that have arisen with respect to environmental protection and with respect to the promotion of social and cultural values? And what, if any, economic development characteristics for the maintenance and capacity for growth are emerging in the important work you're doing so far?

[Paula Isaak]

I think each of the commissions tries to find the appropriate balance for its particular region, recognizing that there are unique ways, whether through special management zones or other kinds of zoning provisions, to balance the ecological and cultural values with a community desire for economic development as well.

So each of them uses, I would say, different kinds of mechanisms, largely within three different kinds of zones--prohibited areas, open areas, or areas that are a bit of a mix of both. That's a key way the communities and the commissions try to balance those interests, but doing that is really driven very much by the community interests. Then, obviously, others are involved, including industry and governments. There's an open dialogue and an attempt to try to find the right balance, using as much information as possible to understand the ecological interests, the cultural interests, and the potential opportunities for economic development.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

I guess the point is that they would vary to a certain extent, but the purpose of the commissions is to assemble the information and provide a framework, if you will, for something that all groups can buy into, through which they can have the ultimate impact, with the superordinate goal of a vast regionally integrated model, summarily speaking.

[Paula Isaak]

That's correct.

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

I just want to refer to your comments on the northern regulatory improvement initiative. You mentioned three objectives, Paula. I may not get to all of them here, but I'll try my best.

Number two involves environmental monitoring through implementing the NWT cumulative impact monitoring program. Are there any issues or challenges that you want to comment on briefly?

[Paula Isaak]

No, it's now fully developed and is being implemented. Proposals are being funded. I think this year there are about 40 being looked at. So it's significant.