Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today, I will be travelling to Fort Smith with the MLA for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger, for the signing of a block funding agreement with the town of Fort Smith.
The mayor of Fort Smith, His Worship Dennis Bevington, and I will sign a three-year agreement that will provide the town an annual block funding contribution for all MACA-related programs, both capital and operations.
The Premier has announced, as part of the agenda for change, that block funding arrangements with community governments will be a key feature of the community empowerment priority.
Mr. Speaker, block funding is an important means of empowering community governments:
- it gives a community government control of financial resources, without conditions;
- it allows a community government to set its spending priorities to meet the needs it identifies;
- it maximizes the accountability of the community governments to its electorate -- councils must answer to community government for its decisions; and, - it minimizes reporting to the GNWT to areas where there are core territorial interests.
The block funding agreement with Fort Smith provides the town with a greater degree of certainty in budgeting for future municipal services and programs. Council will be able to budget with the flexibility to match resources with its priorities.
Other block funding agreements with follow, Mr. Speaker. We have agreement with the town of Hay River and will sign its agreement some time in June. The town of Inuvik has expressed interest and discussions have begun on an agreement. Other agreements will follow.
I am pleased to advise Members of this very concrete example of our commitment to empower communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.