PACP Committee News Release
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Standing Committee on Public Accounts |
HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6 |
Comité permanent des comptes publics |
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada not meeting its obligations to the Inuvialuit
Ottawa, June 05, 2008 -
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) has not fulfilled its obligations with respect to the 24-year old Inuvialuit Final Agreement, according to a report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts tabled in the House of Commons today by Chair Shawn Murphy, MP.
In 1984, the federal government and the Inuvialuit signed the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, a comprehensive land claim agreement, after 10 years of negotiation. The Auditor General of Canada found that in the 24 years since the Agreement was signed, INAC has yet to show the leadership and commitment necessary to meet the federal obligations and achieve the goals of the Agreement.
The Committee’s report makes recommendations on land transfer guidelines, fairness in awarding contracts, reporting on peformance in meeting the principles of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, and timeliness of reporting.
The Committee worries that the appalling performance of INAC to date in implementing its long-term obligations under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement could hurt the credibility of the federal government. Given the importance of building trust and credibility with Aboriginal groups as the federal government continues to sign comprehensive land claims agreements, the Committee sincerely hopes that INAC will respond and act on all of the recommendations of the Auditor General.
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