Public Accounts committee  They're referring to only a small portion of the funding. In other words, we have a program that we've consulted on heavily. We did an injection of cash into that program, because we knew there were particular challenges coming out of COVID. The needs that were there, and the pro

Public Accounts committee  Absolutely.

Public Accounts committee  Part of that came out of extensive consultations with the people in the north. It is true that when we added the further money into the program, rather than leaving it capped where it was, we didn't do additional consultations, but that new money was going to the things that were

Public Accounts committee  It fluctuates. It's demand-based, and around $138 million is a typical figure in any given year, but again, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, the more you ship the more the demand, so the costs go higher. There was a big change in the program. The Inuit came to us, and said

Public Accounts committee  For example, if you need fuel to go hunting, which is obviously very expensive in the north; if you need equipment; if you need hunting equipment; if you need fishing nets or anything that helps you to collect country foods, like fish, game, picking berries, or whatever it is, we

Public Accounts committee  I'd have to check on the specifics of that.

Public Accounts committee  It's a per kilogram subsidy of food. That's the way it works. It's about a shipping cost, so it's not directly related to the price of the food itself, it's related to the—

Public Accounts committee  We review the program on a regular basis, so we do make adjustments, but they're related to a number of factors.

Public Accounts committee  I would say that the Inuit and northern people I have worked with are some of the most self-sufficient people I have ever met, and we are very proud to support them as they do that.

Public Accounts committee  Absolutely. When we added the money to this program, we were already in the process of making sure there were ways of reporting both the pre-subsidy and the post-subsidy prices. In fact, if you've been travelling in the north anytime in the last while, you'll actually be able to

Public Accounts committee  Kwe kwe, ullukkut, tansi. Hello and bonjour. May I start off, Mr. Chair, by congratulating you on your election today. I'd like to acknowledge that I'm located on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional meeting ground and home for many indigenous peoples including Cree, Saulteaux, N

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We will be very happy to send you that information in writing. We may share the work with the Department of Indigenous Services, which was also fully involved in this matter. Between the two of us, we will be able to provide you with the information in writing. We undertake to do

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Perhaps I could ask Monsieur Reiher, who has followed this file closely for a long time, to jump in.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  I could, but you would probably prefer that I didn't, so perhaps this will suffice: “Once more unto the breach” is maybe the closest I could get to responding positively to your request.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Yes—