Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Tabled Document 1-17(2), Interim Appropriation 2012-2013, and would like to report progress with two motions being adopted. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs and I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement. Since Volunteer NWT folded, I think most non-profit and non-government organizations in the NWT have found it much more difficult to do their job. They have volunteer boards and they have less volunteers to work with. I think it’s been a loss to all of the NWT in the fact that they can’t provide the same services to the effectiveness that they could before when Volunteer NWT was alive and well.

I’d like to ask the Minister, I noted on...

Question is being called.

---Carried

So, item number 11, Transportation, $29.848 million, is deferred. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the GNWT departments are developing their business plans right now, I want to comment today on the importance of volunteers and volunteer groups, and I want to comment on the need for adequate funding for this most valuable human resource.

The GNWT seems to recognize the value of volunteers. We had a 2005 Declaration on Volunteering and a Volunteer Support Initiative. We all recognize the importance of volunteers, at least we should. The work of Northerners in the voluntary sector touches us daily. Volunteers and volunteer groups build communities through their work...

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Mr. Menicoche, did you have a motion?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Minister Ramsay. Mr. Menicoche, anything further?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I’m really pleased to hear his assurance that he’s listening and I can assure the Minister that, yes, I will raise this issue when we review business plans.

If the department doesn’t feel that half a PY or some kind of human resource is necessary for Volunteer NWT, is there any hope that the Minister may see his way to increase the $70,000 going to the various organizations could be increased so that it could go to more than the 17 organizations – or, sorry, 16 I guess it was last year who were able to access it. I’m sure there’s a lot more...