(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand fully what the MLA has brought up. While we have been discussing these opportunities for community empowerment, the communities have been involved. I'm not sure if I remember all the questions he raised, but the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs will definitely have to monitor what is going on and there will be training that has to be provided. We are

working towards that. (Translation ends) ... Cabinet Committee for Social Programs and Community Empowerment. This committee has taken leadership on the community empowerment. We have been talking a lot about the concerns that the Member has raised. He has raised a lot of questions and has asked a lot from the communities that are wanting to take on more responsibilities, as well as take on transfers from programs in their communities.

There will be monitoring going on from the regional offices, so that this community empowerment and transfer goes as easy for the communities as possible. I strongly believe in training, so there will be some training going on at all levels and also to the staff at the community level. The communities are very worried about taking on the responsibility and failing into a deficit situation, but we are going to make sure we are committed as a department that this won't happen.

Are we offloading to the communities? The answer is no. Funding for any transfer will be based on what a community spends for the programs and services. Funding will be available for training, community development and implementation costs. Community empowerment should mean that things are done more effectively and efficiently in the future. This should help in the future to fight increasing costs. If the communities are worried that the transfers are going to be complicated, the aim of the review of community empowerment presently under way is to make it possible to transfer the greatest amount of authority along with the greatest amount of flexibility in the most efficient manner. Any unnecessary red tape will be cut.

I know a lot of the communities are ready to take on community transfers and also community empowerment, to take on more responsibility. I know they are worried and the department has done everything in their business plan to make sure that we can be there when they need us, so that we can help them whenever they need us and also monitor along the way.

In terms of funding these communities through block funding, we just did block funding with the town of Fort Smith. I just came from there this morning. We did a three-year block funding arrangement with them. The money would be coming to the community on a monthly basis. The community would have more flexibility and more to do with their programs.

I don't know if I answered all the questions, but there were quite a few. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.