Mahsi, Mr. Chair. It's good to be streamlined. I believe that's a necessity anyway out in the regions. Without people hearing the voice of government, I think the government has to hear the voice of the people more often than it does today into finding some resolutions to a lot of the issues boiling over because this whole socio-economic fund that's apparently not there yet, but being talked about today. I know there's going to be lots of questions about who is going to get what, how much, and how they are going to be able to spend it. All these questions still have to be ironed out before the socio-economic agreement rolls out. I just wanted to get a good understanding of if and when this socio-economic impact fund does become a reality for northerners, who is going to have the final say? I know there is going to be consultations with boards, NGOs and First Nations, but at the end of the day, who is going to have the signing authority? Who is going to write the cheque and who's going to be able to cash it? Is it going to be the GNWT, or is it going to be the aboriginal governments, or is it going to be the regional superintendents or the federal government? Who, at the end of the day, is going to be able to spend that money? In some of the instances, the decision to spend it one way is really going to be close to another consensus on spending it a different way. Who is going to ultimately call that shot? Is there going to be some kind of a special socio-economic development initiatives committee drawn up in every region? I just want to know and I think the people would want to know when that money does come available to them. How much are they going to be allowed to tap into? Who is going to be able to have the final say in how they spend that money and who is going to say when they are allowed to spend that money? Where is all that going to come from? Is it going to come from the Department of Executive, DIAND or the aboriginal governments in a forum of all three governments working together? How is that going to work? I just want a basic understanding of that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Robert Villeneuve on Committee Motion 30-15(4): Recommendation To Remove The Socio-economic Impact Fund Senior Advisor Position, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on February 27th, 2006. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 30-15(4): Recommendation To Remove The Socio-economic Impact Fund Senior Advisor Position, Carried
Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
February 26th, 2006
Page 1396
See context to find out what was said next.