This is a rather sensitive point in the approach that our ministry is taking to talks with communities. It is difficult for us to tell you in very clear terms how we go about the assessment except to say that we try to set up a process that is done jointly.
First of all, you assess what it is that you want to do. For instance, if you want to take over housing, you assess and the community can do that itself. What is it that they have to do the job that is outlined jointly? Then, there is a discussion about what is required. For instance, we know that in some communities we have people who can do electrical work, plumbing and other maintenance work of a general nature. But, very often, in some housing associations, for instance, they may have no maintenance procedures or overall work plan on how to do maintenance in the long term. You may have workers who are capable, for instance, but at a management level you may require that you have management capability that would make sure doors are checked, for instance, not when they are hanging on the hinges, but as a periodic sort of maintenance approach. You may have a need for inventory of the equipment and update of equipment, for instance, hot water tanks. Unless you date them and have some replacement items after they hit the five year mark, if that at all, you run into difficulties. In the middle of winter, you may end up having to fly a whole lot in because they have all corroded in the same year. Without insulting anybody, you try to scope out how the federal or territorial DPW provides these services.
On the other hand, the housing maintenance associations, in many communities, have many things to offer this government in terms of how they go about carrying out the responsibilities. So, it is a mix between the two that helps us in the end to decide what we require to get the job done. For instance, if there is training required, then we support it. So, there is a positive approach taken to these things.
I think, if the Member is aware of communities that have been told in a very negative way that they are not ready and left at that, then I would say that this is certainly not something that we, as a ministry, have set out to do. If this has been conveyed, I would like to know about it so we can correct that immediately. The intent is, if we feel communities need some assistance to do their job, we will be there with them and work with them to make sure that they are confident, prepared and well-organized when they take over transfers. Thank you.