Proceedings of the Special
Senate Committee on the Arctic

Issue No. 20 - Minutes of Proceedings - February 4, 2019

OTTAWA, Monday, February 4, 2019
(21)

[Translation]

The Special Senate Committee on the Arctic met this day at 1:05 p.m., in room 9, Victoria Building, the chair, the Honourable Dennis Glen Patterson, presiding.

Members of the committee present: The Honourable Senators Bovey, Boyer, Coyle, Dasko and Patterson (5).

In attendance: Mark Palmer and Joëlle Nadeau, Procedural Clerks; Sara Fryer and Thai Nguyen, Analysts, Parliamentary Information and Research Services, Library of Parliament.

Also present: The official reporters of the Senate.

Pursuant to the order of reference adopted by the Senate on Wednesday, September 27, 2017, the committee continued its examination of the significant and rapid changes to the Arctic, and impacts on original inhabitants. (For complete text of the order of reference, see proceedings of the committee, Issue No. 1.)

APPEARING:

The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, P.C., M.P., Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

WITNESSES:

Inuit Broadcasting Corporation:

Bernadette Dean, President;

Debbie Brisebois, Executive Director.

Taqqut Productions:

Neil Christopher, Director and Producer;

Nadia Mike, Producer.

Qaggiavuut!:

Rhoda Ungalaq, Chairperson;

Ellen Hamilton, Executive Director.

Akpik Theatre:

Reneltta Arluk, Artistic Director and Founder (by video conference).

Artcirq:

Guillaume Saladin, President, Acrobat, Co-founder and Co-artistic Director;

Jimmy Awa Qamukaq, Vice-President, Acrobat/Clown and Chief Coordinator in Igloolik.

Avataq Cultural Institute:

Rhoda Kokiapik, Executive Director.

Canada Council for the Arts:

Simon Brault, Director and CEO;

Steven Loft, Director.

Canadian Museum of History:

Karen Ryan, Curator, Northern Canada;

Matthew Betts, Curator, Eastern Archaeology;

Jean-Marc Blais, Director General.

Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada:

Diane Lafleur, Associate Deputy Minister, Crown-Indigenous Relations;

Daniel Watson, Deputy Minister;

Wayne Walsh, Director General, Northern Strategic Policy Branch;

Mark Hopkins, Director General, Natural Resources and Environment Branch, Northern Affairs;

Nancy Kearnan, Director General, Northern Governance Branch;

Marla Israel, Director General, Policy and Coordination.

Ms. Dean, Mr. Christopher and Ms. Mike made statements and, together with Ms. Brisebois, answered questions.

At 2:24 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 2:32 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Arluk, Ms. Ungalaq, Ms. Hamilton, Mr. Saladin and Mr. Qamukaq made statements and answered questions.

At 3:32 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 3:47 p.m., the committee resumed.

Ms. Kokiapik made a statement and answered questions.

At 4:19 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 4:25 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Brault and Ms. Ryan made statements and, together with Mr. Loft and Mr. Betts, answered questions.

At 5:27 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 6:27 p.m., the committee resumed.

The Minister made a statement and, together with Mr. Watson and Ms. Lafleur, answered questions.

At 7:32 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 7:34 p.m., the committee resumed.

Mr. Walsh and Mr. Hopkins answered questions.

At 7:58 p.m., the committee suspended.

At 8:01 p.m., pursuant to rule 12-16(1)(d), the committee proceeded in camera to consider a draft agenda (future business).

It was agreed that senators' staff be permitted to remain in the room during the in camera portion of the meeting.

At 8:14 p.m., the committee adjourned to the call of the chair.

ATTEST:

Maxime Fortin
Clerk of the Committee