Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again I hear from the honourable Member that the community is concerned about the issue and we will lend any support to that possible. I think it has to be driven from the community that it is unacceptable for these types of situations that cause damage to the community. It impacts everybody in the community. I think that one of the first steps the community should undertake is to formulate a community group to raise their concerns in respect to this specific issue about capturing or charging or finding out the individuals that are involved. It is a serious matter. I do not know the specifics of what steps the investigation are at currently. But I will check into this matter because it is an important issue. Again, I would say that once

something concrete was requested from the honourable Member, it would be something we could consider, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the point that I am trying to get to is the fact that even if we catch the culprits in this incident, it is a community problem in respect to whether or not it is acceptable by community standards to have individuals out there for whatever reasons getting into these kind of difficulties. The onus would be on the community to a large extent to monitor and to put into place programs that could minimize the possibilities of these types of situations happening. We would be supportive of those types of initiatives. I do not think that going in, unless it is just the one individual that is setting all these fires that the honourable Member is alluding to, helps. You still have to get to the root cause of the problem of why is this happening. Is it a copycat type of situation because somebody else has done it that other individuals are entertaining that idea and pursuing it? So, I would say that again, we are willing to assist the community in whatever way we can, but the onus is not and the difficulty is not going to end by the fact of locking up an individual or sending out one individual that might have perpetuated these crimes, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Krutko. Would you ask your question please. Supplementary.

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will talk to my departmental staff and assess the situation and meet with the honourable Member and try to come up with the remedy that would be satisfactory. Thank you.

Oral questions. Before we go on, I know that all the statements that are made, questions, responses are recorded so we know what is being said. One of the things that is not recorded but still could be seen on TV are gestures by Members making gestures to other Members. So, we will ask the Members to be careful the way you conduct yourself on TV too because it will be seen by the public, especially if the camera is on the Member when he is asking a question and having a gesture with it. It will be seen on TV, and if it is, we will be dealing with it. Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mr. Speaker, there is still some uncertainty regarding the community empowerment initiative. With that point and to further clarify the initiative I would ask the Minister if she would provide to this House the departmental definition of community empowerment. Thank you.

The Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Community empowerment is simply a community solving their own problems and local people taking care of each other. We know that the government made too many decisions about what is best for the people in the communities. Even though these decisions are well intentioned, the result is that the people do not have control over what happens in their communities. So, that is what community empowerment is about. It is about communities having control of, responsibility for and accountability for programs, services and infrastructure

at the community level. Communities set their own priorities and make decisions about certain programs and services which affect them in order to meet their community needs. Locally people manage community affairs to reflect community needs and interests while the territorial government manages those area which affect the NWT as a whole.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to the Minister's definition, can the Minister advise this House as to how many communities have been successfully empowered as of today. Thank you.

Thank you. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If my budget is passed, there will be a lot more communities that will be successful in community empowerment. So, that is a message to the regular Members, but there has been a lot of successes in community empowerment already. Cape Dorset is one of the communities that has already experienced success in integrating public works, housing, economic development, social services, and government administration into community government operations resulting in more direct control over resources to address local priorities. In Igloolik, the community is increasing its control of social programs so that it is better able to promote community wellness. Keewatin communities are working on the transfer of airport programs in all the communities in the region so that transportation operations are part of community government operations. We have transferred GLOs, lottery licensing, and land management to the communities. There is also Fort Good Hope who has been looking at how social and infrastructure programs may be integrated so that they are better able to deal with community priorities. We have been working within our budget, but if my budget is passed after this budget session, then we will be able to do more with the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize that before we see further community empowerment we have to wait for the outcome of this budget. Could the Minister advise this House as to roughly how many communities have been empowered as of this date? Thank you.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said we have a plan in place and we have a lot of communities that are interested in community empowerment but we have not had any money for community empowerment in my department. But we do have the plans in place and we have the teams in place. We have been introducing community empowerment to the communities. If my budget is passed then we will be able to do more with the communities but I can give a list of responsibilities that have been transferred to the communities to the Member if he wants the details. Thank you.