Thank you, Mr. Chair. I view this as the crux of the whole department, of course — program delivery support. I want to talk briefly about a subject I raised in general comments: the support of the voluntary sector.
People should note that the voice of the sector, Volunteer NWT, has been silenced, and agencies are being forced to reduce programs and services — for example, YWCA — or have second thoughts about much needed programs and services. For example, the Salvation Army is starting to back away from running the Bailey House.
As a government, our support for this sector is becoming emptier and emptier; no resources attached to commitments. Social and economic consequences of a collapsing voluntary sector will reverberate throughout our jurisdiction, and we’ll be picking up the pieces at even greater costs.
How is this Minister going to address this situation, which is, frankly, deteriorating further and further? Do we not realize that their costs go up at the same time? Do we not realize the efficiencies that they bring? These are largely volunteer people with credentials anybody would be proud to have in their organization, and they’re working at a fraction of the cost, and the wages, et cetera. So I’d like to know how the Minister is going to address this situation, and I’ll be talking to other Ministers about this as we go.