Thank you Madam Chair. This whole initiative of empowerment is not something that I think is new. In fact, it is an issue that is long over due. In the communities that I have been involved with, it has been a long time goal. Over my twenty years with the government, this whole issue of more control at the community level, was a steady source of aggravation and conflict with the government, especially at the headquarters level. Looking back over the years, it is a definite move from the old days when regional directors and the Commissioner were masters of all they surveyed, and made use of what I call the great white mentality, where we were their vassals, and they were in charge. It is an issue that is very critical. Coordination with other community initiatives is going to be essential. The whole thing with the social program committee, the point that is made over and over again, that you need integration with the other community initiatives, justice, wellness, income reform. We also need very clear, concrete implementation plans so that communities can see and touch what we are talking about, and that is not just a vague abstract idea. I do not believe communities are like little children that have to be taken by the hand, and treated like they are little children. I consider that analogy or comparison somewhat insulting. I know the people in my community would not accept being characterized as little children that have to be led by the hand, and shown how to do the most basic things. There are risks to be sure. But in my opinion they are acceptable ones. To me, we certainly will not do any worse than has been done in some of the program areas by government of old with transient or far-away civil servants making all the decisions, and telling us how they are going to run our lives.
What we do have to combat is that whole mentality of dependence. Over the years, it has been created by the government, by us. Where the government runs everything, makes all the decisions, brings in the consultants and the specialists, to tell us what is good for us. We also have to, in my opinion, because we have that dependency, and the whole mentality of entitlement, we have to look at revitalizing some basic virtues that built the north. Virtues like the initiative, co-operation, hard work, and sharing. I think this is a very valuable initiative. We have things to do. I think we have to move ahead on it, because, as has been indicated earlier, it is going to happen in spite of us, anyway. We might as well try to be in front of the parade on this one, and not hopefully under it. Thank you.
---Applause.