Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share with Members the tremendous success and progress of the Community Empowerment Initiative. Our government's effort to embrace community empowerment through development

has not been an easy task. It presents many challenges.

Mr. Speaker, MACA is responsible for coordinating training programs in sports and recreation, public safety and community governance. I am pleased to provide you with the results in these important community development areas. They are as follows:

- 113 community-based sports and recreation coaches were trained and certified in 1997.

- 612 community residents were trained in public safety areas such as search and rescue, fire services, community policing and emergency services.

- 160 community councillors received governance training during 1997 and 39 senior administrative officers are enrolled in the SAO certificate program.

Mr. Speaker, this totals 1,194 community residents being provided with training in these areas.

We would not have been as successful in measuring up without developing partnerships. MACA invested $547,000 in these community development training initiatives. Our partners assisted by contributing over $1 million toward these initiatives. Mr. Speaker, without the contribution of organizations such as Sport North, the NWT Fire Chief's Association and the RCMP, we would not have been able to achieve what we did. These are just a few of our valued partner organizations and my thanks to these, and all of the other organizations who contributed to this success.

This Legislative Assembly is one of MACA's most important partners. Members of this House continue to support the principles of community development. It has not been an easy task adapting to the significant changes to government because of community empowerment, but this is what community residents have wanted. This was the right thing to do, and this House has measured up in meeting the demands of communities. I thank you for your support.

Mr. Speaker, many regions and communities are now interested in the next community development step. This involves building capacity, organizing and planning for the transfer of government assets and capital planning. Mr. Speaker, MACA's staff has clearly demonstrated their commitment to make a positive change in the quality of life for NWT residents and I am very proud of their achievements. My department had to chart a new and focused course that provides clear direction. At the same time, we have had to monitor how well we are progressing, tell the public how we are doing, stop the thing that did not work, do more with less and never stop improving the community development approach. I look forward to working with our communities and Members of this House, to continue this government's community development and empowerment efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause