2023-2024 Response to parliamentary committees and external audits
Response to parliamentary committees
Response to the Sixth Report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, entitled Moving Towards Improving the Health of Indigenous Peoples in Canada: Accessibility and Administration of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program
The Committee provided eighteen recommendations to the Government of Canada to improve the Non-Insured Health Benefits program, to better serve Indigenous Peoples. The Committee heard from National Indigenous Organizations, the Government of Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories, national medical associations, the First Nations Health Authority, Indigenous governments, ISC, the Minister of Indigenous Services, and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada. The Committee's recommendations fall under several broad themes: (1) mental health and traditional healing, (2) cultural competency and addressing systemic racism, (3) medical transportation, (4) modernizing program administration (5) Métis health services, (6) access to coverage of continuous glucose monitoring systems, (7) comparability and equity of health benefits coverage, (8) Indigenous Oral Health Investment Strategy, and (9) increasing awareness of the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program. The government response aligns with these themes and provides an overview of what Canada is doing to address the recommendations raised by the Committee.
The Government Response (PDF) was presented to the House on Monday, April 17, 2023.
Response to the Tenth Report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, entitled Arctic Security and Sovereignty, and the Emergency Preparedness of Indigenous Communities
The Committee provided seventeen recommendations to the Government of Canada to strengthen Arctic security and sovereignty, and to improve the emergency preparedness of Indigenous communities. The Committee heard from ISC, the Minister of Indigenous Services, the Office of the Auditor General, several stakeholders and policy research organizations, Indigenous communities, and Governments of Nunavut, Yukon, and Northwest Territories.
The Government Response (PDF) presented to the House on Thursday, October 19, 2023.
Response to the Thirty-Fourth Report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, entitled Emergency Management in First Nations Communities
The Committee provided seven recommendations to the Government of Canada pertaining to emergency management in First Nations communities, following a study conducted by the Committee to examine the Auditor General of Canada's Report 8 of 2022, of the same name. The Committee heard from the Office of the Auditor General, senior ISC officials, the Deputy Minister, and the Minister of Indigenous Services.
The Government Response (PDF) presented to the House on Friday, March 22, 2024.
Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)
Report 2—Housing in First Nations Communities, 2024 Reports of the Auditor General of Canada
This audit focused on whether Indigenous Services Canada and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation supported First Nations to close the housing gap by improving housing conditions and increasing First Nations' capacity to manage housing. The other objective was to determine whether Indigenous Services Canada, in partnership with First Nations, made progress to transfer the control of housing to First Nations. Seven recommendations were addressed to Indigenous Services Canada. The departmental response to address each recommendation can be found in the report, in the section titled "Recommendations and Responses" (tabled March 19, 2024).
Based on the 2024 Housing in First Nations Communities Report and Indigenous Services Canada's responses to the Report's recommendations, the Department developed a preliminary action plan to address the Office of the Auditor General's recommendations. The Action Plan commits the Department to a number of obligations including key interim milestones as well as final outcomes and results.
Indigenous Services Canada, Preliminary Action Plan, Office of the Auditor General Performance Audit of Housing in First Nations Communities (PDF), presented to the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, April 2024
Response to audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
There were no audits in 2023-24 requiring a response.