Vince McKay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm more than happy to -- and actually, I think we're sitting with the committee here soon to explain all this. But it is a pretty detailed formula based on the community's assets. So for an example, if we're calculating the O and M, we're taking the infrastructure, taking the safety and recreation of the community, the administration and the services, and we're calculating it all together to make the formula up. So there is a few steps to it; it's not just one simple step. And that's all based on what the community's needs are to provide those key services. Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members are aware, the formula funding that has been reviewed previously, and a few times, has been out there for a while. Since September -- August/September to now, MACA's been out engaging with communities through regional superintendents, also reaching out to communities to engage with them in regards to the new formula funding. So we made every effort. We're continuing to make effort to reach out to the communities to speak about the formula funding. In fact, just previously, on Monday, I met with -- myself and the Department of MACA, we met with SAOs and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the formula -- the funding provided for the formula we all know has been not enough for communities, and it's been an ongoing issue and it will continue to be an issue if it's not a priority. So right now what we're doing is we're taking the hundred -- roughly $110 million, we're dividing it, and our goal is to equitably divide it amongst the communities for their assets and their actual needs. And it's not ideal obviously. It would be nice to have 100 percent funding for all the communities, but the reality is we have to find a way that distributes this funding...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The point behind this funding is not to run a community fully 100 percent. It is to operate the community's essential services, so your water and sewer, your public works department, you know, and to make sure that the funding is there for those key services. Every community has a right to operate their community the way they want. They can charge fees. They can charge, you know, service fees or recreation fees, that kind of thing. So the whole formula based on their operations is how MACA distributes the funds that we have -- currently have for the communities. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would suggest that the community checks with their local fire department to see if it's required or if they want it, and then that their community government reaches out to the regional superintendent in order to get the process going to see if we can get the training or the funds to them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I do, please.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That there would be a lot of detail behind how a community operates their emergency services, if they had one. Depending on the type of service they would have in their community, you know, basically as even as a first-aider, even as a lay responder you would be eligible or trained -- eligible to be trained to use naloxone kits. So depending on the services, depending on accessibility, but just the old quick search of the interweb here I was able to find out that in the Tlicho region there are four spots where you could get naloxone kits through using our wonderful GNWT...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know the actual amount, and I can get that for the Member. But we do have a fund available for first responder training that is eligible for communities that apply for it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To my left is Gary Brennan, deputy minister, and to my right is Grace Lau-a, a director of community operations.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've had the honour of working with the sergeant-at-arms, Mr. Floyd Powder, in his role and capacity with the veterans' programs, and he's done some amazing work with that, and I hope -- like I tell people, when you retire it's not really retire; it's a change of careers and you can do whatever you want on our own time. And I hope he continues to do that. I want to thank him for his work here in the Legislative Assembly, and I want to wish him well in his future endeavorers.

I also want to congratulate a good friend of mine, somebody I grew up with in Hay River. When he...