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Response to Parliamentary Committees and External Audits

Parliamentary Committees

Government Response to the Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, "No Higher Priority: Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada".

The Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, "No Higher Priority: Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada" was adopted by the Committee on February 8, 2007, presented to the House on February 12, 2007, and concurred by the House on June 19, 2007.

The Report included recommendations that INAC improve the following elements: the creation of positive outcomes through modern communication tools; the financial management of student funding; the data collection and tracking; the allocation and delivery of post-secondary education funding; the Indian Studies Support Program; and the access to post-secondary programming.

For further information, see the June 12, 2007 Government Response to the Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, "No Higher Priority: Aboriginal Post-Secondary Education in Canada".

Government Response to the Fifth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, "Negotiation or Confrontation: It's Canada's Choice".

In this Report, the Senate Committee made the following four recommendations: an increase in funds available for settlements; the establishment of an independent body within two years; adequate resources for the existing process; and the adoption of new guiding principles. The Government of Canada accepted these recommendations recognizing that the retooling of the Specific Claims Process requires careful consideration and a phased approach.

For more information on the Department’s response, see the June 13, 2007 Government Response to the Fifth Report of the Standing Senate Committee on Aboriginal Peoples, "Negotiation or Confrontation: It's Canada's Choice".

Following the response, INAC has taken the following actions in order to address the Parliamentary Committee recommendations:

1. An amount of $250 million per year has been identified for ten years for the resolution of specific claims.
2. The Specific Claims Tribunal Act, which establishes an independent tribunal, was introduced in November 2007, received Royal Assent on June 18, 2008, and comes into force on October 16, 2008.
3. A resource request is currently underway to ensure adequate funds are available for the specific claims process.
4. The adoption of new guiding principles has occurred through the development of the legislation and also through changes to the government's internal processing of specific claim submissions.

Government Response to the Seventh Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on "Aboriginal Housing".

The Seventh Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on "Aboriginal Housing" was adopted by the Committee on March 22, 2007 and presented to the House on March 29, 2007.

In this Report, the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on Aboriginal Housing recommends that the Department and its federal partners: commit to significantly increased annual investment in Aboriginal housing based on actual regional construction and repair costs; define specific roles and responsibilities of, and specific measures to be undertaken by, each department and agency at every stage; include comprehensive measures for capacity-building within Aboriginal communities in areas of construction and maintenance; define mechanisms and processes for federal-provincial-territorial collaboration with respect to programs and funding to meet off-reserve and Northern housing needs; and set clear target dates for implementation and completion of every stage.

For more information on the Department’s response, see the October 17, 2007 Government Response to the Seventh Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development on "Aboriginal Housing".

Following the response, INAC has taken the following actions in order to address the Parliamentary Committee recommendations:

Housing Operations

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), Health Canada (HC), and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), developed the National Strategy to Address Mould in First Nation Communities. The objective of the National Strategy is to develop sufficient awareness and capacity among First Nation home occupants, communities, and institutions, so that they can prevent and remediate existing mould problems. The National Strategy received approval from senior officials from the above mentioned organizations and is currently undergoing co-ordination and planning for implementation.

Budget 2005

The Government of Canada invested $295 million over five years to help stabilize on-reserve housing conditions. This was a shared investment between (Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND) — $192 million and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation — $103 million. As of March 2008, DIAND and CMHC data showed that funding from Budget 2005 allowed for the construction of 5,991 new units; the renovation of 2,299 units; and the creation of 5,119 new serviced lots.

First Nations Housing Market Fund

The First Nations Market Housing Fund (the Fund) officially opened for business on May 5, 2008. It is being run by a board of nine independent trustees jointly appointed by the Ministers of Human Resources and Social Development, and Indian Affairs and Northern Development. The Fund is being managed in the initial years by CMHC, however, the intent is to transfer it to First Nations control in the future.

In the initial year of operation, prior to the Fund generating any investment income, existing capacity development funding from both Indian Affairs and Northern Development and CMHC will be directed to market-based housing initiatives and will support any capacity training for First Nations as directed by the Fund trustees.

1996 Housing Policy

The Government of Canada's response to the Seventh Report of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, prepared jointly by INAC and CMHC, committed to reviewing the 1996 On-reserve Housing Policy and to improving policy implementation by promoting the consistent use of housing plans by First Nations and by reviewing these plans. As part of an evaluation of Budget 2005 spending on First Nations housing, INAC’s Audit and Evaluation Branch undertook an assessment of the 1996 On-reserve Housing Policy. INAC and CMHC will respond to the research and policy recommendations of that assessment. In addition, INAC took steps toward improving the delivery and performance monitoring of its housing program by starting to develop a Housing Procedures guide to be implemented across all regions.

External Audits

Government response to the Auditor General of Canada and to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD) on the October 2007 Report of the Auditor General on Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

The Report, tabled in the House of Commons on October 30, 2007, stated that the Department should develop and implement clear processes for ensuring the timely exchange of lands under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, and for cleaning up and returning control of parcels of land that are no longer required by the federal government. The Report also mentioned that INAC should clearly communicate the Government of Canada's contracting obligations in relation to the Inuvialuit Final Agreement to federal organizations; and provide guidance on how to fulfil their contracts. INAC should also meet its responsibilities related to the economic review: develop a strategic approach toward implementing Canada's obligations under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement; develop performance indicators to measure progress toward meeting the principles of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement; and publicly monitor and report progress to other signatories.

The Department’s response, prepared on behalf of the Government of Canada, stated that INAC accepted all recommendations and has developed an action plan to respond to the Auditor General’s recommendations. Furthermore, INAC is taking steps to ensure that the action plan is carried out, and will report regularly to the Office of the Auditor General as to the progress made on each recommendation.

INAC, in consultation with Treasury Board Secretariat and Public Works and Government Services Canada, also agreed to provide guidance to departments on the appropriate level of monitoring required to ensure compliance with this Agreement's, and similar agreements', contracting provisions, as reflected in Treasury Board policy requirements.

Government response to External Audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada and the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

No reports were held during the period.

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