Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Minister's Statement today is on the subject of community empowerment. Later on today I will be tabling an overview of the community empowerment initiative. I hope that this information will provide us with a basis for the discussion we need to have on this important subject. Mr. Speaker, the concept of community empowerment is not new. In the last Legislative Assembly, ordinary Members and Cabinet alike endorsed a community wellness strategy. Community empowerment is also a priority of this Cabinet and a key feature of the agenda for change. Mr. Speaker, most Members in this House are already familiar with the material I am tabling today. It is the basic presentation that we have using at meetings with the Standing Committees and regional leadership summits over the summer. The document is meant to get the discussion going. It does not represent approved Cabinet direction. It is not carved in stone. It does represent the thinking and ideas that have been developed to date. Mr. Speaker, at the community level, and at regional leadership meetings we have found positive support for community empowerment. Community leaders know that they are very limited in the decisions they are currently allowed to make. These are difficult times for any level of Government, but community governments are experiencing a great deal of frustration with our current system. The community empowerment initiative outlines a new way of doing business. It describes new roles for community governments and yes, that also means changes for Cabinet and for ordinary Members. For many years, Members of the Legislative Assembly had the burden of responsibility for delivering capital projects to their communities. That system worked well when we had a fully funded capital plan. Now that capital budgets are being cut, we are all finding that the old system does not works as well.

I think it is fair to say that we are all frustrated with the current system, but I believe community leaders are the most frustrated of all.

Community leaders are trying to make responsible decisions with diminishing resources. Yet they see the Legislative Assembly is not ready to give them any flexibility to set to their own priorities. We have to decided how much power we are willing to give up so that community governments can truly be responsible for their residents and for their future.

How much flexibility are we willing to give communities? We need to let communities know whether we believe they can be responsible decision-makers, or whether their decisions will be revisited by this House. This week it was Fort Simpson that needed flexibility, but next time it could be one of your constituents. What are we going to do if other communities come forward asking for the flexibility to use their limited capital dollars in a way that makes more sense to them? Are we going to say no because we know better?

Mr. Speaker, many MLA's attended the regional leadership meetings held over the past few months. Others were present at standing committee meetings when presentations on community empowerment were given.

I have received letters from the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Infrastructure telling me the initiative should be put on hold.