Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee on May 16th, 2019

Evidence of meeting #151 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was c-88.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

Subject Matter of Clauses 336 to 386 (Part 4, Division 25) (An Act respecting the Department of Indigenous Services) of Bill C-97, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 19, 2019 and other measures

Bill C-88

MPs speaking

Also speaking

David V. Wright Legal Counsel, Gwich'in Tribal Council

Chief Gladys Norwegian Dehcho First Nations

Merven Gruben Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Jackie Jacobson Councillor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Neil McCrank Senior Counsel, Commercial Litigation, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, As an Individual

Joseph Campbell Vice-President, Northwest Territories, Northwest Territories and Nunavut Chamber of Mines

Mark Brooks Senior Specialist, Artic Oil and Gas, World Wildlife Fund-Canada

Bob McLeod Premier of the Northwest Territories

Chief George Mackenzie Tlicho Government

Alfonz Nitsiza Tlicho Government

Bertha Rabesca Zoe Legal Counsel, Tlicho Government

Paul Bachand Legal Counsel, Tlicho Government

10:55 a.m.

Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Merven Gruben

The oil and gas is coming back. We just want to be prepared.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

The Vice-Chair Conservative Cathy McLeod

Thanks.

We have about three minutes for MP Kevin Waugh.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Thank you, Madam Chair.

What is the price of fuel in the north, if I may ask? We have had many discussions in the House of Commons this past week about $1.70 or $1.80 per litre.

Can all three of you share with me what the cost of fuel is?

We will start first with Tuk.

10:55 a.m.

Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Merven Gruben

It's cheaper than in Vancouver. It's actually $1.70 per litre in Tuk for gasoline.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

That's for regular, I take it.

10:55 a.m.

Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Merven Gruben

That's for gasoline. All we get is one grade of gas. That's it up there.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Okay.

10:55 a.m.

Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Merven Gruben

Diesel is about $1.71 per litre.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

We haven't even hit the summer of tourism, so that's fine.

David Wright, what can you tell us?

10:55 a.m.

Legal Counsel, Gwich'in Tribal Council

David V. Wright

Inuvik would be about the same, around $1.70 per litre.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Gladys?

10:55 a.m.

Dehcho First Nations

Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian

Most likely it's around that also.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Okay.

You know this bill doesn't include revenue sharing.

10:55 a.m.

Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Merven Gruben

That's why we want to make the amendments or hopefully see things changed a little bit.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Gladys, what do you think of that? There's no mention of revenue sharing in this bill. How would that affect you?

10:55 a.m.

Dehcho First Nations

Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian

It definitely will affect us, for sure. I'll just remind you that we are still in negotiations as well.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

I know you're in negotiation right now. Have you thought about the revenue sharing and how it would work?

10:55 a.m.

Dehcho First Nations

Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian

We have been thinking about it.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Can you share some thoughts? What do you want to see?

10:55 a.m.

Dehcho First Nations

Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian

We want to see equal revenue sharing—

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Is that “equal” meaning fifty-fifty or 100%?

10:55 a.m.

Dehcho First Nations

Grand Chief Gladys Norwegian

However that looks. If I were to make a choice, I would say 100%.

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

Tuk, what would you like to see?

10:55 a.m.

Mayor, Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk

Merven Gruben

We'd like to see 100%. I know that's impossible, but....

10:55 a.m.

Conservative

Kevin Waugh Conservative Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK

That's interesting, because the last government spent $200 million on the road.