Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to inform the Members of this House about a positive initiative the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has been part of to promote and encourage community government in the north.
Last week was community government week, from September 26th to October 2nd. Each year, the department, in association with the NWT Association of Municipalities and the Association of Municipal Administrators, team up to promote events for this week.
This year, the theme for community government week was developing an enterprising spirit. We selected the theme to highlight and pay special tribute to local organizations, clubs, private entrepreneurs, development corporations who improve the quality of life in their community with innovative solutions to stimulate the local economy.
Madam Speaker, it is extremely important that we continue to endorse community-based activities, new economic ventures, the creation of new community transfer initiatives and foster positive intergovernmental relationships with one another. And one way of doing that is to encourage municipal councils, local groups and organizations to devote one week every year to reflect on the tremendous amount of progress our communities are making in controlling their future.
Communities from east and west participated. To highlight just a few activities:
- Most communities held an open house of their community offices and offered tours of other community facilities;
- In Coppermine, a presentation was made to the school children on the roles and responsibilities of council and 257 people turned out for the open house and tour of facilities.
- Clyde River council had a phone-in show on the local radio station each evening which was so successful a public display of council activities is being planned for the offices.
- Cape Dorset held a variety of activities to familiarize residents and school students on the expanded community responsibilities as a result of this government's community transfer process.
- Iqaluit held radio quizzes about the community and offered donated prizes.
- Igloolik had a community parade, feast and poster contest for children.
- In Aklavik, students and residents attended open houses at the hamlet office and firehall, and rides on the fire truck were highlights for most children.
-Yellowknife sponsored guided tours of all city facilities and worked closely with the local chamber of commerce and the Yellowknife economic development authority.
- School students visited the town's office in Norman Wells and community staff visited students in their classrooms to talk about community government.
Community government week has indeed been a special opportunity to celebrate the achievements of each community government of the Northwest Territories.
In closing, I would like to thank the NWT Association of Municipalities and executive director, Yvette Bungay, and the Association of Municipal Administrators of the NWT representative Joe Kronstal, from the city of Yellowknife, who worked countless hours with the staff from MACA and Education, Culture and Employment to make community government week an outstanding success. Thank you.
---Applause