Evidence of meeting #7 for Natural Resources in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was north.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
As of June 6, 2011, only 10 projects this year, most of them multi-year projects, were approved. How many have been approved since then?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
I can't answer that sitting in front of you today, but we'd be happy to provide you with that information.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Okay.
Now, the department is subject to an internal audit, and the minister said the audit's not complete and that she would act only once it is completed. But Friday the Prime Minister said:
The reason we have regular internal audits is to ensure that organizations are...well-run. When they find they're not well-run, we take action. This is a draft audit, we're looking at the completed audit but we have already some time ago started to make changes to ensure better management of that organization, and we will.
Which is it? Are they waiting to finalize the audit or are they acting on an incomplete audit right now and making changes to the department?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
We have received the draft audit, and it is just that: a draft. So when it's final, it's final.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
But you've made changes to the department already, as the Prime Minister has indicated?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Every organization works every day to better its operations. CanNor has done that from the first day. We'll do it tomorrow, and a year from now we'll continue—
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
What kinds of changes to the financial management that have taken place in the last six months are we talking about?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
We're always working to make sure that we're as on top of the books as we can be for the organization.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Okay.
The initial decision was made by the Prime Minister to place CanNor's office in Iqaluit. What was the department's recommendation for the location of the office prior to that decision being made?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Actually, that's a good point, and I can't answer that because it was not part of its own department at that stage. It would have been part of Indian and Northern Affairs. But I'm not aware of any recommendation that was ever provided by that department, or certainly by CanNor, because it didn't exist.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
What impact has the Iqaluit location had on the hiring and retention of qualified staff?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
It's interesting--and I think it goes back to the previous question--that we were able to inherit a lot of good-quality talent on the ground, and that talent is still on the ground in Iqaluit. If you really want to get to know your community and understand its impacts, the best way to do that is to be there on the ground.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
So you're saying the fact that you haven't been able to retain a chief financial officer had nothing to do with that? And that officer was located in Ottawa?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Yes, as far as I know, the chief financial officer has always been located in Ottawa.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Okay.
One of the findings of the comptroller general's audit, as we've heard, is that no financial management framework was ever established. This should have been one of the first things done when a new agency was set up. Why was this framework not established?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
I think you can understand, as I said a few questions ago, that it is a draft audit, so I won't be commenting on any of the content of that audit.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
Do you have a financial management framework in the department right now?
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Every department has a financial management framework.
NDP
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Again, I think it's best if I not comment on these particular—
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
I wasn't in the organization.
NDP
Vice-President, Policy and Planning, Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
No, I understand.
NDP
Dennis Bevington NDP Western Arctic, NT
If you have an answer, you can give it. It's not part of an audit.