Evidence of meeting #25 for Indigenous and Northern Affairs in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was arctic.
A video is available from Parliament.
3:05 p.m.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative Jamie Schmale
Okay. I will start the time now.
Ms. Idlout, the floor is yours.
3:05 p.m.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
Thank you, Mr. Schmale.
I'm going to complete my line of questioning that I had for Mr. Lackenbauer.
Just for comparison's sake, I wanted to ask you, do members of the military have to use their own capital when they do operations in the north?
3:05 p.m.
Professor, Trent University, As an Individual
Again, it will depend on which members of the military are involved, because the Rangers are just a form of reservist. For regular force members and primary reservists, they are expected to use the military equipment and vehicles that are provided to them, the logic being that they are expected to be standardized and that the system will procure the equipment that everyone will use.
For the Rangers, the logic is that, because each community's needs are different, it would be overwhelming on the military system and probably not the most effective for the Rangers themselves to have this system provide them with that. In essence, the model has always been, if Rangers living in their communities are best attuned to what the needs are to operate in their areas, perhaps they can choose what vehicles are best, what forms of equipment are best and what type of tent is best to use. The military will instead compensate them for using that equipment. As I was alluding to before, what I see as one of the primary benefits is that it allows individuals to acquire equipment that they own. They don't have to turn and ask permission from the military to go and use it when they want to go out with their families or travel to another community.
To me, this is one of the big differences from the Coast Guard Auxiliary, where, through the small boats program, they've been provided with very capable marine search and rescue boats but members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary are not allowed to use those boats to go beluga hunting or to go narwhal hunting. Those same individuals, if they go out in their personal boat as a Ranger, are paid for the use of that boat while they're using it as a Ranger and then, in turn, when they take off their Ranger hat and their hoodie and they want to go out and catch a whale, they can do so, and it's their personal equipment.
I'm sorry. I jumped ahead with your question there.
3:05 p.m.
Professor, Trent University, As an Individual
It's one of those reasons that I know the Ranger force is a different form of service.
3:05 p.m.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Ms. Idlout, that was your two and a half minutes.
3:05 p.m.
NDP
Lori Idlout NDP Nunavut, NU
Was it, seriously? Could I ask one more question?
Can you provide us a little bit more information on that recommendation that you mentioned about that new job that you suggested so that we could understand how important that recommendation is?
3:05 p.m.
Professor, Trent University, As an Individual
Thank you.
This is a proposal that I've put forth with Peter Kikkert and Calvin Pedersen, whom you're going to hear from next week, based on conversations in the Kitikmeot Region with other Nunavummiut rights holders, stakeholders and first responders, recognizing strengthening community safety as a central priority along the lines that my fellow panellist has identified.
As we conceive of it, this program would provide communities with two or more full-time public safety officers who would be responsible for search and rescue, all hazards emergency management, fire prevention and land and marine safety, and, if required, emergency medical services. It would be about creating a program to build off local knowledge, Inuit qaujimajatuqangit, and the community relationships of officers, while providing for the space to develop new capabilities. Having a central individual in each community in Inuit Nunangat who could serve as this hub, this focal point in terms of coordinating efforts of all the different first responders and gratefully breaking down the silos of responsibility that exist across agencies responsible for community safety and security in the north, treats this almost like it's a community resilience hub.
Perhaps there would even be multi-purpose buildings constructed to function as centres for community safety activities for all those different groups at the community level. There are other models out there. You can look at what the Cree have set up in Eeyou Istchee territory for public safety officers, the Kativik civil security department in Inuvik and village public safety officer programs in Alaska, with similar models in Yukon and Northwest Territories.
We see this as a great opportunity to really enable and coordinate a lot of those community-level efforts. I'd be happy to provide more information to the committee in writing if you're interested.
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
All right, perfect.
Thank you, witnesses. That was good, extra time, probably because you might be a constituent of mine, so you could have gone a little longer.
Thank you to our witnesses for coming to the meeting and contributing to this process. We have a very interesting study to go on. I'm assuming that the chair is not back on. I can't see him—
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
3:10 p.m.
Conservative
Jamie Schmale Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
“Remarkably adequate” is what I like to say.
It's all you, Chair. Thank you.
3:10 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Marc Garneau
Thank you very much, Vice-Chair.
Thank you to the witnesses, as Mr. Schmale was saying. This is an important study, and we very much appreciate both Professor Lackenbauer's and also Mr. Moore's giving us their insights on some very important issues. We very much appreciate your taking the time for today's meeting.
With that, this panel is concluded. For the benefit of the members of the committee, we will probably be presenting our housing study report as early as Monday now that it has been approved. Second, this morning, at the liaison subcommittee, our travel budget was approved. I just wanted you to know that.
We'll be meeting next Tuesday at 3:30.
With that, thank you very much everyone. This meeting is adjourned.