Floyd Roland

We do have a policy and that is why, for example, the School of Community Government went into place and was developed to help our communities in the Northwest Territories build capacity and assist them in providing the necessary supports that they need in their communities. So that’s the first thing that we have in place and it incorporates a number of the training initiatives and supports along those lines.

The one difference is because bands are under the federal legislation there’s a slightly different arrangement there, but we still extend much of the same services. I’d have to get a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The relationship we have with the band councils differs somewhat with the relationship we have with municipal councils because band councils are under federal legislation, but when it comes to the working relationship we’re trying to build with them, we’re open to helping with either transition, or, for example, we have a number of communities where the bands deliver the programs and services that municipalities would in other cases, and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs would be able to sit down with them to go through the working arrangements, the...

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, it’s the Beaufort-Delta Health and Social Services Authority that issued this contract that has responded to those that have replied to that tender process. In fact, I understand six companies have put in responses. So it’s been dealt with in that matter.

The principle, I think, as the Member says, now the Department of Health and Social Services should step in and direct that this contract be pulled. Again, let’s go back to the principles of the issue. We’d have to look at what we could do if there was an obvious flaw or break in our practice and process and see if...

Thank you. There are a number of occasions and I know the supp health policy has brought heated debate here into the Assembly, but no policy goes through under just one Minister.

The Minister, under department advisement and their work, brings forward a policy, goes through to Cabinet. Policy, as our protocol is, we hand it over to committee for their input and it comes back to Cabinet for potential other changes to the policy that gets sent out.

So in this case we have agreed to three Members of Cabinet and three members of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning that need to get...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this area and when you’re talking about contracting practices as a government as well as board authority and the Department of Health and Social Services, this government has tried to come forward in the past with board reform initiatives to help streamline that authority and decision-making process, and that was rebutted and we put that back on the shelf. So we have a process in place right now of dealing with authorities and their contracting. Yes, there are contracting practices in place and the appropriate department would follow up with that and the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The area of the Supplementary Health Program and policy is of vital importance to residents of the Northwest Territories as well as to this government. Hence the number of times we’ve taken this back and reviewed it, and at this point worked with members of Priorities and Planning to come up with this approach to a number of initiatives within that program.

We have to start from a basis. The existing program as it is and the policy as it is, and the work that’s been done to date, we’ve highlighted and worked with committee as to the key areas that we need to move forward...

Thank you. We recognize the volunteer efforts, that’s why within the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs they work with the volunteer sector throughout the Northwest Territories and many of us in this Assembly have done time in a sense of committing ourselves to our communities, whether it’s coaching, whether it is helping at events, activities and sporting events that help drive our communities and keep them alive and well, in a sense. So we recognize that. That is why we do have some efforts within a number of departments that continue to support the volunteer sector, and I’ll put...

Thank you. There are times when I take action and I’m told I behave like a dictator, and then there’s times when I take the time to try to consult and I get told you’re not doing it fast enough. So which is it? It’s getting a little tiring at times. I’m not sure if I’m coming or going, depending on what Member is saying what in this House or in a meeting.

This is important work. The simple fact that it’s at this table and we’re going to put the energy and the resources and we’re going to bring the people in to come up with something in the Northwest Territories that works for us here in the...

Thank you. No, that’s not the only thing that was done. Our funding situation, working with the department, with the Financial Management Board, to come up with a new program, it touched a number of places. We’ve looked at the volunteer sector versus the NGO sector, because there is a difference there. One gets a contract to do work, one volunteers in their communities. So there is a difference there. Trying to pull it all together is part of what creates some of our problems, is trying to decipher just what role needs to be in place and how it should work within departments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The area of the anti-poverty strategy, the work that needs to be done, as I just made a statement earlier, we are going to work on forming this group as well as set the time frames that we would need to respond by. We will go to committee members and Members of the Assembly to seek their input, as well, on some of the timing and how this should work. Right now we are very early in establishing the specific work plan and the membership of this advisory group. Thank you.