ARCHIVED - Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Canadian Polar Commission

Name of horizontal initiative: International Polar Year

Name of lead department(s): Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) — Northern Affairs Program

Lead department program activity: Healthy Northern Communities

Start date of the horizontal initiative: April 1, 2006

End date of the horizontal initiative: March 31, 2012

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date): $150 million over six years

Description of the horizontal initiative (including funding agreement): To support Canada's participation in International Polar Year (IPY), the Government of Canada has invested $150 million over six years. This funding is being used to carry out an innovative and multidisciplinary Arctic science program. The Government of Canada IPY program is led by INAC and involving 12 federal departments and agencies, including Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (on behalf of Industry Canada), Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Canada's significant involvement and investment in IPY contributes to the government's stewardship of Canada's Northern Region. The Government of Canada IPY program is working with Canadian scientists and northern communities in developing and conducting activities such as research, training and capacity building.

Key areas of the Government of Canada IPY program include:

• undertaking new science and research in and for the North, which includes the involvement of northern communities;
• ensuring the health and safety of scientists and communities conducting research in the North;
• communicating information about the program and the science undertaken;
• building capacity, through training opportunities for youth and Northerners aimed at enhancing participation in northern scientific research;
• ensuring that the resultant scientific knowledge and data are properly managed, archived and made accessible; and
• supporting the appropriate procedural, regulatory and infrastructure framework for conducting scientific research.

The funds are distributed among federal departments and agencies according to their involvement in the various aspects of the program. The Northern IPY Co-ordinators maintain a regional network to support all aspects of Canada's IPY program in four Inuit regions across the North. The federal departments and agencies participating in IPY are undertaking research projects, delivering support for logistics and emergency preparedness, and contributing to projects for training, communications and outreach.

Shared outcome(s): The IPY program works toward the achievement of two outcomes:

• Increased understanding of impacts of a changing climate and of health and well-being of northern communities informs policy and decision making, and contributes to recognition of Canada as an expert on the Canadian North.
• Northern research capacity is enhanced through newly trained scientists, knowledge and skills transfer to Northerners, and greater participation in planning and delivery of research by Northerners.

Governance structure(s):

• Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) Committee on IPY / High Arctic Research Station (HARS) (chaired by the ADM of Northern Affairs, INAC);
• IPY Federal Program Office (housed at INAC);
• directors general communications committees on IPY; and
• IPY advisory subcommittees.

The Government of Canada IPY program links with the International Joint Committee and other international scientific organizations to assist in the program development of the IPY From Knowledge to Action Conference that Canada will host in April 2012. As of June 2009, the ADM Committee on IPY merged with the ADM Committee on HARS to ensure a smooth transition from IPY activities and work conducted under HARS.

Planning Highlights: IPY will focus its efforts on synthesizing the results of IPY scientific research, managing data and information, communicating these results to northern communities, and articulating this new knowledge to facilitate and generate discussions about policy and program development that address short- and long-term issues.

Contact information:

Kathleen Fischer
Executive Director
International Polar Year Federal Program Office
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
10 Wellington Street, Room 745
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H4
Tel: 819-934-6085
Fax: 819-934-0584
fischerk@ainc-inac.gc.ca

Name of horizontal initiative: First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan

Name of lead department(s): Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)

Lead department program activity: Community Infrastructure

Start date of the horizontal initiative: April 1, 2008

End date of the horizontal initiative: March 31, 2010

This program was seeking renewal at time of publication.

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date): $735,639,806 for the two years. Of this amount $202,500,000 in each of 2008–2009 and 2009–2010 are funded from existing reference levels. New funds of $165,318,143 in 2008–2009 and $165,321,663 in 2009–2010 including employee benefit plans and Public Works and Government Services Canada accommodation requirements were sourced from the Fiscal Framework, as confirmed in Budget 2008.

Description of the horizontal initiative (including funding agreement): The prime objective of the First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan (FNWWAP) is to support First Nation communities on reserves in bringing their drinking water and wastewater services to a level and quality of service comparable to those enjoyed by Canadians living in communities of similar size and location. There are five key activity areas in the FNWWAP: infrastructure investments; operations and maintenance; training; monitoring and awareness; and standards.

To meet the objectives of the FNWWAP, several program enhancements have been introduced, including a national engineering assessment of existing water and wastewater facilities; consultations on a new federal legislative framework for safe drinking water; increased training through the Circuit Rider training program; modification of existing policies related to small water and septic systems and agreements for water and wastewater services; investment in a National Wastewater Program; and development of waterborne illness procedures.

The FNWWAP was implemented as part of government commitments, announced in Budget 2008 and the 2007 Speech from the Throne, to support First Nations' access to safe drinking water.

The FNWWAP supports INAC's strategic outcome, The Economy: Economic well-being and prosperity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people. The FNWWAP also supports the Health Canada (HC) strategic outcome of the department's First Nations and Inuit Health Programming and Services: Better health outcomes and reduction of health inequalities between First Nations and Inuit and other Canadians.

More information at these websites:

Backgrounder — First Nations Water and Wastewater Action Plan

Budget 2008, Responsible Leadership — Chapter 4 — Leadership at Home and Abroad

RPP 2007_2008 Health Canada — Health Canada's Regional Operations — An Overview

Shared outcome(s): The FNWWAP works toward the achievement of four outcomes:

• First Nation communities have an increased capacity to address potential water quality problems.
• Health risks associated with water quality and supply are reduced.
• All First Nation community water and wastewater facilities meet federal standards.
• First Nation communities have increased confidence in their drinking water.

Governance structure(s): The FNWWAP is a successor to the joint First Nations Water Management Strategy (2003–2008) and the INAC Plan of Action for Drinking Water (2006–2008). A memorandum of understanding has been in place between INAC and HC since 2005 regarding data sharing related to drinking water. INAC shares information on the proposed water and wastewater infrastructure investments; the annual inspections of water and wastewater treatment plants; and action related to drinking water advisories. Conversely, HC shares information such as drinking water sample results that do not meet the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and reasons for recommending drinking water advisories. At the working level, the Strategic Water Management on Reserve Committee, which includes representatives from HC, INAC, Environment Canada and the Assembly of First Nations, provides a forum for discussion to share information and co-ordinate joint action, although this is not a formal decision-making body. It also provides integrated and co-ordinated leadership to ensure safe drinking water for First Nation communities and to implement FNWWAP.

Directors general and assistant deputy ministers from HC and INAC meet when needed to exchange and co-ordinate action on all relevant issues related to the FNWWAP.

Federal partner: INAC

Expected Results: TBD

Federal partner: HC

Expected results: TBD

Contact information:

Sébastien Labelle
Director, Policy
Indian and Northern Affairs
Policy Directorate, Community Infrastructure Branch
Telephone:819-994-6466
sebastien.labelle@ainc-inac.gc.ca

Name of Horizontal Initiative: Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement — Health Supports component

Name of lead department(s): Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)

Lead department program activity: Managing Individual Affairs

Start date of the Horizontal Initiative: September 2003

End date of the Horizontal Initiative: March 31, 2013

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date): $112,353,000

Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement): The Health Supports component of the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) ensures that former students of Indian residential schools can safely address a broad spectrum of mental wellness issues related to the disclosure of childhood abuse through all phases of the IRSSA. The Health Supports component of the IRSSA is composed of the Indian residential schools Resolution Health Support Program (formerly Mental Health Support Program) and a 24-hour crisis line.

Health Canada delivers the Resolution Health Support Program, which ensures that eligible former Indian residential school students, and their families, have access to an appropriate level of health support services, through all phases of the IRSSA, so that they may safely address a broad spectrum of mental wellness issues related to the disclosure of childhood abuses. Program components include: emotional support services provided by Resolution Health Support Workers (RHSWs); cultural support services provided by Elders; professional counselling; and assistance with the cost of transportation to access counseling, Elder, and/or Traditional Healer services.

INAC — Resolution and Individual Affairs Sector, provides a national 24-hour toll-free Indian residential school crisis line is also provided to support individuals in crisis and is operated by trained Aboriginal crisis counsellors. INAC is also responsible for co-ordinating the verification of program eligibility, and ensuring that Health Canada is aware of dates for independent assessment process/alternative dispute resolution hearings, litigation, and Truth and Reconciliation and Commemoration events as they arise, so that health supports can be provided in a seamless fashion.

Shared outcome(s): The IRSSA Health Supports component works toward the achievement of two outcomes

• Eligible former students of Indian residential schools, and their families, have access to an appropriate level of mental wellness support services.
• Eligible former students of Indian residential schools can safely address a broad spectrum of mental wellness issues related to the disclosure of childhood abuse.

Governance structure(s): INAC is responsible for the overall IRSSA model and is working in partnership with Health Canada to co-ordinate and provide services for former Indian residential school students throughout all phases of the IRSSA.

Planning Highlights: The Health Supports component will:

• continue to deliver professional, paraprofessional and cultural supports to former Indian residential school students and their families through the Resolution Health Support Program;
• provide former Indian residential school students and their families with access to a 24-hour national crisis line;
• undertake communications activities to ensure that health supports program is well-known; and
• strengthen research, knowledge and training initiatives to ensure that health supports are well-suited to meet the needs of Indian residential school claimants, their families and communities.

Contact information:
Health Canada
Andrea Challis
Manager, Indian Residential School Resolution Health Support Program
Mental Health and Addictions Division
Community Programs Directorate
First Nations and Inuit Health Branch, Health Canada
Phone: (613) 952-1377
andrea.challis@hc-sc.gc.ca

Indian and Northern Affairs Canada:
Patricia Power
A/Director
Policy and Strategic Planning
Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Tel: 613-947-4146
ppower@ainc-inac.gc.ca

Name of horizontal initiative: Urban Aboriginal Strategy

Name of lead department(s): Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians (OFI)

Lead department program activity: Urban Aboriginal Strategy

Start date of the horizontal initiative: April 1, 2007

End date of the horizontal initiative: March 31, 2012

Total federal funding allocation (start to end date): $68.5 million

Description of the horizontal initiative (including funding agreement): The Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS) was developed in 1997 to help respond to the needs of Aboriginal people living in key urban centres. Through the UAS, the Government of Canada seeks to partner with other governments, community organizations, Aboriginal people and the private sector to support projects that address local priorities.

In 2007, Canada decided to set national priorities that focus on greater economic participation and made a long-term commitment by investing $68.5 million over five years to help respond effectively to the needs of Aboriginal people living in key urban centres.

Shared outcome(s): The primary goal of the UAS is to better address issues facing Aboriginal people living in cities across Canada, working toward the achievement of the following outcomes:

• Urban Aboriginal socio-economic needs are targeted within new and renewed federal initiatives, where appropriate.
• Access to and co-ordination of programs and services is improved.
• Partners co-ordinate development and communication of research, policies and knowledge.
• Horizontal linkages and policy integration within the federal government are improved for seeking opportunities for partnership (i.e., the federal government, provincial and municipal governments, Aboriginal groups, and private sector).

To accomplish these outcomes, UAS projects will focus investments in three priority areas: improving life skills; promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship; and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families.

Governance structure(s): Steering committees are the catalysts for planning, making funding decisions, and co-ordinating work through the UAS — along with other community activities — to respond to urban Aboriginal issues. Each UAS steering committee is composed of a cross-section of the Aboriginal community, to ensure the steering committee's decisions reflect broad community concerns and priorities. While the steering committee structure is meant to be reflective of local circumstances, each steering committee includes representation from the local Aboriginal community, the federal government, other levels of government and the private sector. The inclusive nature of the steering committees is indicative of the principle of partnership that underlies the UAS, particularly in keeping with the objective to establish strong and active partnerships between government and community.

In some of the designated cities under the UAS, federal funding is administered through an incorporated community organization that has been delegated authority for delivering UAS projects on behalf of the various partners. Regardless of whether funding is delivered by a community organization, by federal officials or by a combination of the two, funding through the UAS is designed to promote co-operation with other key partners (including other federal departments) and stakeholders in support of community interests.

Planning Highlights: The UAS works in partnership with other federal departments, provincial and municipal governments, Aboriginal communities and the private sector to make strategic investments designed to enhance the economic participation of Aboriginal people in Canada's urban centres. Community projects funded through the UAS focus on three priority areas: improving life skills; promoting job training, skills and entrepreneurship; and supporting Aboriginal women, children and families. The UAS also invests in building capacity within the urban Aboriginal community through investments that support the formation of effective partnerships and the development and implementation of strategic plans that address the unique needs of each community.

The UAS will continue to work toward achieving greater horizontality across federal departments to maximize investments. It will explore and implement new and innovative approaches to increase horizontality, including through a proactive Horizontal Action Plan. To this end, INAC is undertaking an analysis of horizontal projects (funded under the UAS Horizontal Terms and Conditions) to better understand the mechanics of horizontality and to identify and overcome barriers to increased federal collaboration. In tandem, the UAS is implementing performance measurement tools that can be used to identify successes and mitigate risks.

The UAS will also work toward making progress on its core objectives, including closing the unacceptable socio-economic gaps between urban Aboriginal people and other residents of cities, by leveraging funding from other levels of government and the private sector and by better aligning federal initiatives with provincial-municipal initiatives and other activities.

Results to be achieved by non-federal partners (if applicable): The UAS has been redesigned to better address issues facing urban Aboriginal people. The refocused UAS improves program co-ordination within the Government of Canada to maximize its investments and aims for equal cost sharing with provincial and municipal governments.

Through sustainable partnership policy development, program co-ordination at the federal level and with provincial and municipal governments, Aboriginal, and private sector partners, the UAS addresses local priorities and engages partners in the process of reducing the disparities that urban Aboriginal people face.

The UAS strives to make significant progress along the road of horizontal management as well as shared accountability with all its partners. It represents a practical step that illustrates how Canada's government is moving in the right direction to ensure that Aboriginal people living in cities across Canada have greater access to the skills and experiences they need to gain access to and succeed in urban centres.

Contact information:

Allan MacDonald
Director General
Office of the Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
66 Slater Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H4
Telephone: 613-992-8186
allan.macdonald@ainc-inac.gc.ca