INAN Committee Report

A Path to Growth: Investing in the North - New Democratic Party Dissenting Report

Although the NDP does not disagree with what was included in the report, what was not included is the greater issue. First, the study was not long enough to be considered comprehensive. Second, the need for housing was included, but not stressed enough as being a core need. Lastly, to build infrastructure people need to be trained, yet very little attention was given to this important fact.

Length of the Study

The original motion concerning the study read:

That, pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the Committee undertake a comprehensive study of critical northern infrastructure projects and regional strategic infrastructure strategies in the context of possible federal support.

The motion states that the study be comprehensive, yet the study lasted from Oct 15 to Nov 19 of 2018, just slightly over a month. Within that month the committee only met 8 times to hear witness testimony, clearly not enough for a report to be considered comprehensive.

As Craig Hutton stated to the committee on October 15, 2018:

“The north is unique, compared to the rest of Canada. However, we must also recognize that each territory is significantly different from the others.”

With the incredibly diverse people, climates, ecosystems, and needs of Canada’s North, a study of this length does not even scratch the surface of what those communities’ infrastructure needs really are.  With this limited view, the recommendations are not of substance and will not have a significant impact for people living in the North.

Housing

None of the challenges northerners are facing that have been included in the report can be addressed without first addressing the need for sufficient, safe, affordable and durable housing. While there is some work being done to address the issue in a few communities and regions, these tend to be the exception, not the norm.

Any considerations for additional infrastructure need to first address housing. To build infrastructure requires human resources, and those same people first require an appropriate place to live for them to then tackle the work that needs doing.

Training

People in northern communities are keen to be a part of infrastructure projects. The report does address that projects are not long enough for potential tradespeople to finish apprenticeships and that workers are often brought in from other areas. This circles back to the issue of insufficient housing; these imported workers have nowhere to live, and local people are not getting the necessary training to build housing or infrastructure because of it.

Hilda Broomfield Letemplier said as much to the committee on October 17, 2018:

“Businesses across the north struggle to attract and retain employees when there is a shortage of suitable housing.”

Addressing this cyclical issue was not part of the recommendations in the report.

Conclusion

The report, while not being substantially incorrect, is woefully inadequate. Without addressing the core needs of northern communities, infrastructure cannot be addressed; and without a truly comprehensive study, the recommendations included herein cannot support new legislation of real value to people living in the North.