Thank you. Another question regarding the same issue. What is your department doing to ensure successful transfers are taking place in this regard?

Thank you, Mr. Rabesca. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When the department took over CTI, it was just about transfers. When MACA took over the community transfer initiative, we made it more of a community development approach, where we want the communities to have a very good foundation before we transfer anything to them. We are working with all the communities with their planning efforts and any training needs for the staff at the local level. We are assessing each community so they have a good foundation before any transfer takes place. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Question for Minister Thompson. Any further questions for Minister Thompson? Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question to the Minister is in relationship to the proposed Keewatin Mayors' Society. I wonder if the Minister could elaborate a little more on this proposal? Where she intends to take it?

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe it was September, 1996, when Kivallivik leaders had their leadership meeting. There was a resolution made by the mayors that we start on community empowerment initiatives. They had asked that the transfers of airports, housing programs and block funding of all capital projects be looked at. From there, because one of the initiatives of community empowerment is block funding, we were able to come up with a pilot project. The project proposes to the Keewatin mayors for them to be able to take on, as a whole, block funding for the region. There have been meetings with the mayors in regard to this. It is still at a proposal stage. There will be meetings in Whale Cove to decide on whether the communities want to go ahead with this or tell me what direction they wish to go on this. The mayors had a workshop in Rankin Inlet, and I believe the Member was there during that time. At the meeting the mayors said that they would go back to their communities, talk to their communities and come back with a direction for the department. So, at this stage it is just a proposal to the mayors in the Keewatin. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My last recollection of the meetings regarding this proposal was, I believe, in Repulse Bay where there was quite a bit of concern and discussion over this issue. My question is, what would be different about this proposal as opposed to what we have now in the community empowerment initiative structure?

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The mayors thought that it would be better for them to make decisions on their capital projects that are happening in their regions and do it as a shared priority initiative for the whole region, where they can maybe also share specialists, for example, plumbers, mechanics and other specialized people. The mayors whom I talked to thought this was a better way of doing business. It would be sharing of resources. It is a new initiative and at this time, as I said, it is just a proposal the mayors are talking about it, and we have had some mayors putting very good comments towards this. I am looking forward to hearing what they want me to do in the next phase. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Mr. O'Brien, you have two questions left.

Mr. Chairman, I do recall a part of a presentation in Rankin Inlet, which the Minister, I believe, was at, and it was indicated that there would be a one-time cost to orchestrate this pilot project. The individual that made the presentation on behalf of the pilot project of the committee indicated that we were asking whether or not this would be in the millions of dollars or whatever else, and he really could not say, but the inference was that it possibly could be as high as in excess of $1 million. Where would this money come from to structure this?

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Community empowerment is an initiative that is under my lead and my staff is there to support community empowerment. They are working regular hours, sometimes overtime, trying to conduct presentations on community empowerment. That is what we are there for. The cost is staff time at this time, and I do not know all the details. The binder that was presented at the workshop in Rankin Inlet was involved, and I was not there for the full day. I do not know all the details, but I do know that savings due to opportunities for more efficient program delivery and reduction of duplication at the local level would be realized through a mayors' association. That is where we are coming from. It is to share some resources and to do business more efficiently at the community level. I do not know all the details of the whole presentation. At this time all I can say is to date it has just cost staff time, which staff are there to do their jobs anyway. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Mr. O'Brien, your last question.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I realize I have asked the question prior to this meeting in reference to how many communities would have to accept or agree to this sort of proposal. Back to my original question, I guess. The fact that this is going to create all these efficiencies, does that mean that what we have now is not quite efficient, and that we are going to move this type of endeavour or pilot project to all the other regions?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The mayors realized that if they were to get block funded in each individual little community in the region, for instance, Whale Cove would have to hire their own engineer. Then Coral Harbour would have to hire their own engineer. This way they are not duplicating services and quite possibly sharing the resources of specialized people. That is why it is a more efficient way of doing business and, for instance, one of the comments that was made in one of the meetings is when a building is being built, for instance, an arena; a person reviews that piece of paper. Another person in another community may be hired to do the same thing all over again. So we are paying probably $30,000 to do a review for each community when we can cut that cost. If we can share one person amongst the communities, then we are being more efficient. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Are there any more questions for Minister Thompson? Are we agreed that we are finished with Minister Thompson and move on to Mr. Antoine?

Agreed.

Agreed. Thank you. Are we agreed that we are finished with Madame Thompson? Mr. Picco.

Yes, I just have one quick question for Madame Thompson.

Mr. Picco, the Members agreed that we are finished with Ms. Thompson. We have a question for Mr. Arlooktoo. At this point in time I need some direction and I suggest we move on to Mr. Arlooktoo. Agreed? Mr. Ootes, you have questions for Mr. Antoine?