Agreed.

Agreed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs assists community residents to organize and manage representative, responsible and accountable community government. The department is a service support provider. During the Standing Committee on Resource Management and Infrastructure review of the business plans on November 26, 1998, and the draft Main Estimates on March 20, 1999, committee Members noted the importance of specific socio-economic factors that have affected the overall direction and management of the Department. These socio-economic factors are expected to continue exerting pressures on the department's ability to deliver adequate levels of programs and services. Ongoing factors include a high birth rate, urbanization, increased expectations arising from urbanization, political uncertainty, increasing unemployment and low education levels. This may lead to increasing demands on infrastructure and existing programs and delivery.

In their review of the department's draft Main Estimates, committee Members concluded that unless the department receives significant infusions of revenue or initiates innovative and cost-effective ways of doing business, the department's ability to deliver satisfactory levels of programs and services may become increasingly difficult. The department projected decreases in Emergency Services ($515,000) and Community Development ($751,000) from the business plan. However, these decreases are more than offset by projected funding necessary for the establishment of a School of Community Government, chaired and administered by the department, $931,000.

During the review of the business plan, committee Members discussed the shortage of qualified staff in smaller communities. This shortage contributes to an inability to deliver an acceptable level of programs and services. In the draft Main Estimates, the department proposed the establishment of a School of Community Government to rectify the continuing shortage of qualified community staff. However, committee Members noted that staff should be qualified for their positions prior to the their hire.

The committee acknowledges that training of additional personnel to aid understaffed communities is required. But this training effort may be better developed, coordinated and implemented through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and Aurora College. The department's training proposal in its current form may not result in value for money. The committee has always expressed concern whether the department can continue to manage and deliver a consistent and acceptable level of services and programs to its clientele at existing and proposed funding levels. Committee Members noted that proportionately more funding is allocated towards social programs such as income support, when the best form of social assistance is a job.

During the review of the draft Main Estimates, committee Members reiterated their unease that $400 million is required over the next 20 years to merely maintain current facilities as they are. Committee Members further added that this optimistic estimation by the department is exclusive of any consideration for ongoing expenditure pressures. The committee requested a briefing on capital requirements for the department and other departments priorized by need, and a briefing on the formula used by the department to identify and categorize priority projects.

The department informed committee Members that the Response Committee is chaired by MACA, and also comprises the RCMP, Canadian Armed Forces, NWTPC, NWTAM and Industry Canada. With the advent of larger facilities and increased infrastructure in more communities, committee Members note that existing firefighting capacity in many communities might no longer be able to effectively meet the increased requirements. Furthermore, committee Members are concerned that Year 2000 compliance may not be fully implemented with a comfortable time allowance for unexpected developments. The committee is especially concerned about the Y2K compliance of computer and other technical infrastructure in the smaller communities where qualified technical personnel are either limited or unavailable.

The committee commended the department for the reporting methodology used in its business plan organizational charts. The methodology includes names and positions within each tier and section of the charts. The committee recommends that the department's organizational charts reporting methodology be made the standard for all other government departments and agencies in future business plans and appropriate documentation.

Committee Members noted during business plan discussions that the current allocations of water per capita in most communities might not be adequate for average use. The Minister replied that, at that time, she will be meeting with the mayors in early December, and will be discussing this concern among others and will report back to the committee. Mr. Chairman, I would note that this report was prepared when the Minister of MACA was Ms. Thompson, so that was why it referred to she.

The deputy minister reported during the Main Estimates review that the current water delivery and allocation criteria adheres to national standards of water use and that current standards for trucked water on a per capita basis in the communities exceed standards set for Yellowknife.

As the result of visiting Tuktoyaktuk in the fall of last year, committee Members became aware, first-hand, of the shoreline erosion problem in the community. Committee Members were concerned that the current operations and maintenance funding only provides a temporary solution to the problem. A more permanent solution such as a breakwater should be seriously considered and implemented as soon as possible. The review of the business plan afforded the opportunity for committee Members to discuss the shoreline erosion problem with the department. The committee looks forward to receiving further funding and project information from the department detailing funding for an effective solution to the shoreline erosion problem in Tuktoyaktuk. Mr. Chairman, for greater clarity, I would be moving a motion, with your concurrence. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I move that this committee recommends that the department's organizational charts reporting methodology be made the standard for all other government departments and agencies in future business plans and appropriate documentation. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Agreed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is more of a question than a comment. If the Minister could give the committee an update on the department's work with the various communities in regard to the Y2K problem since it was addressed in committee and Main Estimates, if there is an update on how that is coming along. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The department, as indicated in our opening comments, has been working on the Y2K issue for some time. We have responsibilities through the Territorial Emergency Committee, but specifically with regard to communities we have been working very closely with the NWT Association of Municipalities and we have provided funding to cost share a position. That person has been travelling to the communities and has been working with the municipal governments to review their preparations for Y2K and also to identify the shortcomings and what they should be doing to prepare adequately for the Y2K situation. Thank you.