Would the Minister like to bring in witnesses?

Thank you, Madam Minister. I will then ask the Sergeant-at-Arms if he would bring in the witnesses? Thank you. Minister Thompson, please introduce your witnesses for the record.

Thank you, Minister Thompson. At this time we will proceed to general comments. If I could just remind the Members that we would like to stick to comments. Your time will be limited to 10 minutes. If you do have specific questions, hold those until we come to the line item they refer to. General comments. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am pleased to be able to make some specific comments on the community empowerment initiative of this department. The last several days the Minister has made statements in the House about the community empowerment process and its success. On the first day, it was first entitled Community Development Approach to Empowerment, then Progress on the Community Empowerment Initiative, culminating on the third day with Community Empowerment Successes. It is excellent that we are getting that information, Madam Chair. It is helpful, but I hope that the Minister also keeps in mind that it is the communities that need really good information and communication to be passed on to them.

There are a couple of items I would like to make reference to in the documents that the Minister commented and made statements on. In the document entitled Community Empowerment Success, she stated that, "these are only a few of the community empowerment successes." I personally think that is a judgment call as to whether they are successes yet. Yes, the transfers have taken place, but I do not think we should call them successful operational programs just because transfers have taken place. I get concerned about public statements and implications that there is all sorts of successes with this program.

In the second document, Progress on Community Empowerment Initiative, the Minister stated that, "other outstanding issues include financing, community empowerment, liability and labour relations." Then it continues, "work is progressing and being prepared for Cabinet's review on these areas." My concern is that, for example, in the Keewatin area, airports have been transferred and communities have taken on that responsibility, but I want to remind the Minister that Cabinet has not yet stated out and cleared the issue of financing, the liability and labour relations matters. I trust the communities themselves understand and I hope the department is advising the communities of these particular outstanding areas and how that leaves the communities in terms of their responsibility and liability. I have spoken before on this whole issue of community empowerment and I want to state again, categorically, I think it is a wonderful program, a wonderful idea, and I do compliment the Minister for the work that has been done to-date. I keep coming back, though, to the whole area of rush. I want to watch that this is not shoved down the throats or down through PR gestures, that the public is not persuaded and convinced through all sorts of communications that this is a great idea. We have to make communities understand and let them come from the grass roots and take on this responsibility. To me, that is very important. We could have failures in this. That is not what I want. That is not what anyone in this House wants. We want successes. The successes can be achieved, but we want to do it methodically and with care and great consideration. If we can put ourselves into the position of a community leader and anticipate what is it that they need? What is it that they require? Where are the liabilities and the concerns going to lie for those community people? If we take it from that perspective then this whole program can be a successful one. Thank you, Madam Chair.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. General comments. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Erasmus. Any further general comments? Mr. Evaloarjuk.

Thank you, Mr. Evaloarjuk. Any further general comments? If not, does the committee agree we will move on to line-by-line?

Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wonder if the Minister could advise us, Madam Chair, of the number of positions in the department that are working on community empowerment?

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Ms. Thompson. Mr. Ootes.

The headquarters positions are those dedicated to community planning people or what areas have they been working in?

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Ms. Thompson.

Mrs. Ballantyne.