Michael McLeod

Mr. Speaker, this is an area that we’ve had a number of communities express interest in. We’ve also had some early discussion with the Council of Sport and Recreation Partners, and we’ve talked with the Aboriginal Sport Circle staff about the needs in our communities. We all recognize that more has to be done to assist the communities.

We have a number of funding programs that are directed to the communities. However, we recognize that there are probably other areas, especially in the youth programming area, where we could provide further assistance or find a way to do that. We have already...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take the opportunity today as the lead Minister of the Building Our Future Strategic Initiative Committee to provide an update on the planned actions of this committee.

As you know, the Building Our Future initiative is one of five strategic initiatives that form the backbone of our government’s strategic approach. This initiative focuses on our future by making significant investments in prevention and long-term social well-being of the population of the Northwest Territories. These investments build on our significant base of programs and services that...

Mr. Speaker, we’ve had a very good relationship with all the sport organizations, including the Aboriginal Sport Circle. We meet with them on a very regular basis. They have some new staff. They’ve taken a new approach and set some new directions that we’re quite excited and pleased to see. We meet with them. I met with them, in fact, yesterday. They’re doing a very good job on the North American Indigenous Games. They have relayed to us their concerns as to core funding, and we will continue to support them.

We have, in the last while, lobbied the federal government to provide increased...

Mr. Speaker, this government spends approximately $5 million in the area of sport and recreation. That’s including the support we provide to our five non-governmental organizations that work with the NWT Council of Sport and Recreation partners, and they allocate the funding. It is part of their mandate to coordinate a system that recognizes their priorities and to provide direction. We also expect them to provide the resources fairly. On top of the support that’s provided by Sport and Rec, we as government also work with the Aboriginal Sport Circle to provide funding to go to the North...

I thought I was pretty clear that the core funding does not come directly from us. It does come from the NWT Council of Sport and Recreation partners.

Yes, Mr. Chairman. With me today to present the Public Works and Services Main Estimates is Mike Aumond, the deputy minister, on my right; and on my left is John Gabel, director of the Technology Service Centre.

I am pleased to present the Department of Public Works and Services Main Estimates for the fiscal year 2008–2009. The Main Estimates propose the department operations and maintenance budget for 2008–2009 of $57.8 million, which represents an 11.6 per cent increase in O&M funding over 2007–2008. In addition, the department has an infrastructure investment plan of $12.1 million for 2008–2009.

Position changes for Public Works and Services include the hiring of eight new apprentices in Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Inuvik and Norman Wells in designated trade occupations. An energy...

  As indicated, we still have a considerable amount of time to deal with a number of issues that are not, maybe, at the top of our list, as some Members would like to see.

The volunteer sector and Volunteer NWT, I think, are two separate issues at this point. We are still investing in the volunteer sector. We don't have any money to provide core funding to Volunteer NWT. We would like to take a step back and start looking at this issue and look at all the issues of interest to the volunteer sector and make sure that each department across the government is involved and that we provide...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think, first of all, we should be clear on who has cut funding to Volunteer NWT. We never did provide any core funding to Volunteer NWT. We had an arrangement with the federal government and Volunteer NWT to be partners on a number of initiatives. The core funding came through the federal government’s funding sources. A couple of years ago that funding lapsed and was not going to be renewed. Our investment in Volunteer NWT was on specific small initiatives.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe the grant-in-kind is the contribution, or the recognition of the contribution, made for Rockhill Apartments, which has now been transferred over to the Department of Health.