Page 6-9, Municipal and Community Affairs, department summary, information item, revenue summary. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to revenue joint emergency preparedness, for me I think that’s something that we have to be realistic about, knowing that we do have communities that have seen situations regardless if it’s threatened by floods or threatened by fires, and more importantly, even threatened by storms in which basically communities are impacted. I think that we have to be aware. Again, I notice that there’s been a major decrease in that area. I think, if anything, that we have to ensure that communities are up in regard to their emergency measures plans, and more importantly that they’re able to react and implement those plans at short notice. I’d just like to know why it has decreased by almost $60,000, and more importantly, where are we when it comes to emergency plans in poor communities ensuring that we have the capability of responding to an emergency regardless if it’s floods, fires or just storms that, in some cases, knock the power out or basically have a direct effect on a community’s ability to sustain programs and services. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. This line item reflects the federal government decrease in the funding that they’ve provided for us and we’ve tried to respond to it by putting a line item in for the $300,000 that would go towards doing an assessment of some of the emergency services available in the communities. Thank you.

Again, Mr. Chair, I’d like to ask the Minister in regard to emergency measure plans that are in place, how many are in place and operational

and how many are still being worked on by communities?

Each community would have their own emergency preparedness plan, but I’ll commit to the Member to try to gather the information for him. I’ll commit to the Member to gather the number of communities that have their plans put together. Thank you.

In regard to the Building Canada funds, the stimulus funding, again, some of the communities haven’t concluded those expenditures, regardless if it’s solid waste sites and whatnot. I’d just like to know what is the possibility of carrying over those funds to conclude those dollars that have been allocated in regards to the federal stimulus fund or the Building Canada funds. Is there a possibility of carrying those dollars over into 2011-12?

Mr. Chair, all the money has been allocated and there are some communities obviously facing some challenges. We’re just in the process of having some discussions as to how we can best assist those communities either by an extension of the time they have to complete their projects, but we’ve had fairly good success and a number of communities are getting their projects and will be done on time, but for those that are challenged, we’re just having those discussions now as to possibly having an extension. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, as we all heard from the federal government, I thought there was a deadline. I think it’s August 31

st

, or whatever. It’s a federal

deadline and realistically these are federal dollars. Is there a guarantee that we can carry over? Because I know some of my communities still have not been able to deal with their solid waste sites because of the location outside the community or because the way the contracting requirements are under the program in which the costs came in well over the budget that they’re working from. The same thing applies to water treatment plants and whatnot, that you do have to realize that those types of projects take two or three years just to basically have it concluded. So again, what are we doing to deal with that?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Aumond.

Can the Minister tell me exactly how many communities are in that situation and how communities are requesting a carryover, so that we can get an idea what type of impact this is in regard to community stimulus money?

Can the Minister or the deputy tell us which communities are those?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister McLeod.

We don’t have that information right now. We’ll get it and relay it onto the Member. Thank you.

If possible, will the government consider bringing in a supp so that we can conclude those projects?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Aumond.

Moving along to 6-10, Municipal and Community Affairs, information item, active positions summary.