Thank you for that. There’s clearly a definition issue here. In the research reading I’ve done, the terminology I’m using being voluntary sector does include NGOs. In most other jurisdictions that use the terminology “volunteer sector,” they’re talking about the more traditional volunteer organizations but also NGOs. For the point of this conversation when I refer to voluntary sector, I’m actually referring to the whole gamut.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that the NGOs that have a relationship with the departments, have to and must maintain that relationship. What we’re talking about is a bigger picture position. Somebody that when NGOs have a concept or issue with the government as a whole, such as how we formula finance or fund or things like that, and it’s a government decision who do they talk to. They can talk to a program department, but many of them are dealing with multiple program departments. Who is the ultimate body who’s sort of got the knowledge of where we stand as a government.? Who’s the ultimate body who can bring the direction and decisions of Cabinet to the mass sector as a whole? Right now there’s conflicting messages coming from different aspects or different departments.

I think the role or potential role that could exist in the Executive would have a real opportunity for consistent messaging, to work on territorial-wide initiatives like the formula financing from a position of some responsibility, in particular in the Executive. I think we’re missing an opportunity to help work with the sector as a whole and to give them that body that could be the key link for the bigger picture issues. Not the individual financing issues, the individual program issues, because clearly that must be the department that is funding them. But there are NGOs that are new and there are NGOs that are looking at maybe getting set up in the North. There are all those types of organizations. If they had a single body they could go to to explain this is how the Government of the Northwest

Territories does business, these are the departments you’ll have to talk to but this is how our financing works, this is what we would expect from NGOs as far as accounting, reporting, blah, blah, blah. There’s a lot of opportunity here and I just think we’re missing an opportunity by not putting in some sort of liaison position.

I know MACA’s been doing some of that role, but MACA’s main priority in this area has been sports and recreation. They do a fantastic job of it. They are clearly one of the departments who should have personal links with NGOs in the voluntary organizations they are working with. I support that. As far as being the department that has the wherewithal and can speak on behalf of the government on issues like the formula financing and big picture issues, I’m not sure it’s the right department. I think visually and aesthetically -- maybe aesthetically is the wrong word -- but visually and conceptually the right department would be the Executive.

I still strongly encourage Cabinet to reconsider that in light of the definition we happen to be using on this side of the room for the voluntary sector being all-encompassing rather than breaking things up into little groups. There is significant opportunity. I think we can make some real progress if we were to do this. Not minimizing in any way, shape or form the important work that the departments themselves do and the relationships they have with their clients, if you will. Any thoughts the Premier has on that I’m happy to hear.