Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mrs. Thompson.
Debates of May 22nd, 1996
Topics
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Madam Chair. Block funding is for the programs. It would come to them in a block fund, and that would be coming to them on a monthly basis. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
To give the communities more responsibility and the ability to generate revenue from the funding they get from government, either by investing or putting it into short-term investments, 30-day or 90-day bonds or whatever, this doesn't give them that opportunity, because you are giving them on a monthly basis. Eventually, do you see that there's a possibility, like you said for Fort Smith, that there's a three-year agreement. One way that the communities can look at being more financially accountable and also find new ways of generating revenues is to be able to use that extra interest it may be able to generate by having it sit in the bank for two or three months. But with the process that you are saying, based on a monthly pay schedule, they wouldn't have that ability. Would you look at the possibility of allowing them to do that in the future?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
The Chair Jane Groenewegen
Was there a question there, Mr. Krutko, or was it just a general comment?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
I'll rephrase my question. We are talking about empowering communities and giving them the ability to be more accountable and be able to govern themselves. They have to consider the financial accountability and the ability to generate new sources of revenue; one way is putting money in the bank and basically using it for investment. But, the way it's scheduled now is that because these are monthly instalments, they will not have the ability to do that. So will the Minister of MACA consider looking at the alternative of allowing them block funding on a longer period of time than just doing it once a month, say, over three months or six months?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Madam Chair. We will be looking at other options besides monthly funding to the community. MACA has included proposed changes to the municipal legislation to broaden municipal borrowing authorities, and these legislative changes will be introduced in the fall. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
The Chair Jane Groenewegen
Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. Mr. Krutko, would you mind if we gave Mr. Steen an opportunity to ask questions, and if you still have more, we will come back to you. Mr. Steen.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. My question is with regard to block funding. The way I understand it, block funding includes funding for capital works.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Madam Chair. It could include capital funding, too. Thank you.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. If a community is block funded, does that affect the formula funding process; in other words, the entitlement under the formula funding process?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Madam Chair. I will refer that question to Mr. Christensen.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Christensen
Thank you, Madam Chair. The block funding would replace the formula funding, if that was what was being funded. The amount of the block funding would be based on the amount that would have been contributed through the formula or whatever other program is being considered for block funding.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Vince Steen Nunakput
Madam Chair, I have another question. I understood in the Infrastructure committee meetings that block funding was unconditional funding. Is this true? Is that a correct understanding?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 578
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 579
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Madam Chair. That is true.
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 579
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 579
Vince Steen Nunakput
Thank you, Madam Chair. If this is unconditional funding, why is it available on a monthly basis rather than on no condition?
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 579
Committee Report 2-13(3): Standing Committee On Infrastructure Report On The Review Of The 1996-97 Main Estimates
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 579
Manitok Thompson Aivilik
Thank you, Madam Chair. As I said earlier, there will be options to the communities, and we will be taking into consideration all the comments that have been forwarded tonight from the Members. I said there would be options.