Page 2-23, information item, Executive Offices, Directorate, Active Positions.

Department of Executive, Activity Summary,

Directorate, Active Positions, information item (page 2-23), approved.

Page 2-25, Executive Offices, Ministers’ Offices, Operations Expenditure Summary: $3.008 million.

Department of Executive, Activity Summary,

Ministers’ Offices, Operations Expenditure Summary: $3.008 million, approved.

Page 2-26, information item, Executive Offices, Ministers’ Offices, Active Positions. Questions?

Department of Executive, Activity Summary,

Ministers’ Offices, Active Positions, information item (page 2-26), approved.

Page 2-27, Executive Offices, Ministers’ Offices, Active Positions. Questions?

Department of Executive, Activity Summary,

Ministers’ Offices, Active Positions, information item (page 2-27), approved.

Page 2-29,

Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to make a motion in this area. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Department of Executive work in close association with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to take immediate action to coordinate the development of a strategic plan that identifies concrete actions, including the necessary investments to provide meaningful support to the voluntary sector, and further, that the Department include the strategic plan within its departmental business plan to be considered in the fall of 2008.

Thank you,

Mr. Abernethy, and for the record I’ll confirm that we’re at Executive Operations, page 2-29. Motion is

on the floor and is being distributed now. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There’s been a significant amount of discussion in this regard, regarding the voluntary sector. I personally have been encouraging this government to support this sector since day one. As I discussed the benefits of the sector during the separate motion yesterday, I won’t necessarily rehash them here today.

Yesterday, I made the motion encouraging MACA to support the voluntary sector. During that motion I indicated that I believe that support for the sector, specifically Volunteer NWT, should be within an executive branch of this government. I made the motion in MACA, as that is where the support has been traditionally held, to date. Given the wide-ranging impact and benefits of the voluntary sector — health, sports, youth, social, arts and culture — it doesn’t make sense to have the primary department responsible for working with and supporting this sector be a program department, such as MACA.

I move this motion in the hope that Cabinet will recognize the value of the sector and have the Department of Executive take the lead role in developing an ongoing relationship with the sector, specifically Volunteer NWT, and further identify funding for Volunteer NWT, the central voice of the entire sector.

Thank you.

Mr. Abernethy. To the motion. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll just be brief. I’ll be supporting the motion, but this is recognition that the challenge of the voluntary sector out there is great, and this type of initiative certainly helps them along. We could all speak at length, but the practicality behind this is that it will help keep up the strength and support and recognitions that they need.

Thank you,

Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Bisaro. To the motion.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I’m in full support of this motion, and I won’t take too long to say that I feel the people involved in volunteerism cut right across all of GNWT operations, and various activities are across more than just one department. I agree totally that the initiative needs to be in with the Executive, because it tends to look at the full government operations, as opposed to MACA, which, as has just been stated, is a program department, more so.

I think one of the things we should consider also is identifying a Minister who is responsible for the

voluntary sector. It needs to have some profile. It certainly needs to have some resources — financial resources — dedicated to it, and I feel really strongly that we’ve kind of let this organization and also our residents down this particular year, when we’ve not found money to prop them up. So with that said, I will be supporting this motion.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. To the motion?

Question has been called. Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. To close the motion, I’d just like to request a recorded vote.

Thank you,

Mr. Abernethy. To the motion. Mr. Roland.

Sorry, Mr.

Chairman. I

recognized it a little late there. The fact is that as we lay out our strategic initiatives, this area is an important area. We recognize that. We know there are some challenges out there that we’re going to have to work on. I look forward to working with Members in this area when we come to our business plan portion.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. To the motion? Question has been called. Members have requested a recorded vote. All those in favour, please stand.

All those opposed, please stand. All those abstaining, please stand.

The results of the recorded vote on the motion: eight in favour, zero opposed, seven abstentions.

Motion carried.

Returning to page 2-29. Mr. Ramsay.