Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, just following up on the statement regarding the Auditor General for Canada. The Auditor General for Canada's report has been sent to the department. When I opened my statement earlier, I had said that we are under a bit of a quandary because we have not seen the report yet, and if the Auditor General has actually picked up specific areas of the Department of MACA. The Auditor General's report has gone to the Department for MACA and, as per course in any audit, the Department for MACA or any other business that was getting audited gets a chance to look at the audit, and then responds in a management letter with any discrepancies that they see in the audit they would like to bring forward. In that case, the department has seen it, and I understood the delay as it were, was that MACA had not responded or was in the process of responding to some of those concerns. What I am saying is public because, of course, it came up during the Auditor General for Canada's review of the GNWT in November, when we had public meetings, it had come up at that point too. I want to clarify that and maybe the deputy minister could tell us when she suspects that the department will be going back to the Auditor General with your final management response on the report, and then when the department does that it comes back to the House. I think that is the process. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Debates of Feb. 9th, 1998
Topics
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam deputy minister.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Ballantyne
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Picco is right, that is the process. A draft report does come to the department for a management response, and that management response was provided to the Auditor General at the end of October. We did have some discussion with the Auditor General's office, basically, just correcting errors of fact that were in the report and providing our management response. That response is with the Auditor General now. We have not seen a final report, and we do not expect to see a final report until it has been made available to the committee. I am afraid in terms of timing, my understanding was that we could expect to see it sometime during this session, but I really do not know anything further than that. Thank you.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. I do not know. We do not have the document on the floor of this House. I do not know how detailed we can get into the report. Mr. Picco.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. No, I think that is a good point, Mr. Chairman. The Auditor General report is not up before the House and I think that was the point. Maybe in the Auditor General's report, there were some areas we could cover off while the Department of MACA was in front of us. Since we do not have that report to refer back to, we are in a way eliminating our questions in this area on community monitoring and evaluation. The Legislative Assembly directed the Auditor General of Canada last year to do a complete audit on MACA, that was a legislative request of the Assembly. After doing that, maybe they would have picked up on some areas like the early warning system that was in place, like fiscal recovery plans that we could ask questions on. That was my point. Maybe the deputy minister or Minister could let us know, were there any when they responded because they have seen the report. They are privy to it. I am not. Could they tell us if there were any areas of concern? Were there areas where the Auditor General lauded MACA for its good work? There could be pros and cons to a report, I thought good reports, when you are looking at community monitoring and evaluation to share that information with us today. I am not asking for any in-depth review because the report was not in front of us. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. If you want to respond, it is your prerogative, Madam Minister.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I cannot respond to that because the document is not here before us to be discussed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Total operations and maintenance, $924,000. Agreed? Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, my question is in regard to preparing communities for any kind of impact through planning. I am just wondering if the department has been in contact with the hamlet of Paulatuk in preparing them for the impact of the proposed mine?
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Minister.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Not to our knowledge.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 659
Vince Steen Nunakput
Mr. Chairman, I believe I brought this up with the department before. We did discuss preparing communities for the impact from resource companies. I believe the department is well aware there is a fair amount of exploration activity going on in Paulatuk right now. There is a lot of talk of the exploration
activity proceeding into production.
Mr. Chairman, almost 100 percent of the activity from the resource companies that affected Tuk, for instance, was through exploration. As we all know, Tuk was heavily impacted and unprepared for the exploration activity that went on in the Beaufort. Therefore, the question now raised is whether or not the department is preparing or working with the hamlet of Paulatuk to address exploration activity that is going on right now? There is already some impact on the community in regard to traffic at the airport, use of fuels. Obviously, there is going to be some impact as to where the exploration companies are going to go and which land development needs these exploration companies are going to be needing in the future.
We also have to address even small impacts on the communities of only a little over 200 people. It would not take much of a population increase to start putting a strain on municipal services. Therefore, I am wondering if the department is working with the hamlet to address any impacts they are experience at this time? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Minister.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can understand where the Member is coming from about the impacts it would have on the communities. Our role in MACA would be to do the community-based planning but we would have to work with our partners in RWED to complete the plan. I will ask my ADM to give you more detail on that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Christensen.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
Christensen
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The department does provide advice and assistance to community councils to review their general development plans. This would be a case where our department would be working with the hamlet council. As the impacts of the proposed mining development become more apparent on the community, we would work with them to review their general development plan. Of course, out of that would come any number of measures the community should be taking in partnership with government and others, to respond to those particular impacts.
To my knowledge, that planning activity has not been initiated, but would be something which would be initiated soon, pending some decisions on where the mining development will be going in the longer term. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Mr. Steen.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I pointed out there is no way to measure the impact of exploration. Even the mining companies themselves, do not suggest they would impact a community, but in fact, the contractors do, very similar to what happened in Tuk. The subcontractors and the contractors were the ones that impacted the community more so than the oil companies. I did question Darnley Bay Resources, when they were in Tuk last fall as to whether or not they were prepared to work with the community and the government as to what amount of exploration work they see happening. What type of equipment is involved? What needs they would be requiring including whether or not they would be using the community's fuel supply? Those types of questions. They indicated they would be willing to sit down with the community and MACA. I am getting the impression here that unless the community requests it, MACA is not putting forward any offers to work with them, to prepare them for that. That is what my concern is right now.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Minister.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Our regional superintendent will follow up on that right away with RWED and work with the community. Thank you.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Total operations and maintenance, $924,000. Agreed?
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. The honourable Member from Arviat, Mr. O'Brien.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
Kevin O'Brien Kivallivik
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In reference to the four major functions the department is using to fulfil this mandate under community monitoring and evaluation, it states that supporting community governments in their political development through workshops, training materials, advice and so on. In reference to the training materials, Mr. Chairman, are these available in all the necessary languages we have in the territories? Thank you.
Committee Motion 9-13(5): To Ensure Regular Inspections Of Fire Safety Equipment And Fire Safety Training
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 660
The Chair John Ningark
Thank you. Madam Minister.