Mr. Speaker, I have a Return to Written Question 8-12(7) asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell to the Premier concerning community-based organizations.

One, there is no universal government definition of what constitutes a community-based organization. Two, there are no processes established in GNWT policy or legislation for a community to sanction the establishment and/or existence of community-based organizations.

Non-profit community-based organizations providing for "benevolent, philanthropic, charitable, religious, provident, scientific, artistic, literary, social, education, sporting, or other useful purposes other than the carrying on of a trade or business" may be established under the Societies Act. However, these organizations need not be based in or sanctioned by a community and are not technically "owned" by anyone. Several government policies and programs provide sanction and assistance for such non-profit societies.

With respect to community-owned businesses, in two further oral questions asked on February 21, 1995 oral Question 127-12(7) and February 23, 1995 oral Question 152-12(7), the MLA for Thebacha asked if the government has any economic strategies and policies which govern their relationship with community-based organizations versus individually-owned businesses, and if any such policies or related directives in its procurement procedures recognize the socio-economic benefits of community-based organizations versus individually-owned.

As noted above, no special provisions are made for the GNWT or communities to establish or sanction a business as community-owned rather than individually-owned, or that would lead the government to treat community-based businesses differently than individually-owned businesses.

In defining local and northern ownership of a business, the business incentive policy does provide for the possibility of several ownership options, including individually-owned, partnerships, joint ventures, and cooperatives. However, the policy does not provide any different treatment or benefit to those businesses based on that ownership structure. It does provide additional support to local versus other northern businesses, and for northern over non-northern, but individually-owned local businesses are treated the same as locally-owned cooperatives or partnerships. The additional assistance for local over northern business only applies if a community or local area is specified in a tender for a good or service delivered wholly within that community or area.