I have also been working with the chair of the shelter network to try to get the department more engaged with the shelter network. The Minister says they are trying to determine the requirements for the shelters. Just getting the dry numbers for the shelters is not determining the requirements. It is determining how much money they are spending, which they already know because that is how much money they are getting. The Minister has already made his point clear that he is not going to engage with these individuals until August. When can we expect this funding formula to be complete and rolling out? How about that?

When I met with the individuals in 2016, I indicated to them clearly that we intend to move forward, we intend to work with them collaboratively, but we need a bit of time. We have just rolled out a single authority in the Northwest Territories, and I indicated at that time we will be in a better position to begin formal discussions in August 2017. I live up to that commitment. We are living up to that commitment. In the interim, we have worked with the chair. We have gathered information to help us present some information when we do meet with them. I do not think the Member is interpreting what I have said correctly. We are working with them, we are gathering data, and we will have informed discussion and dialogue with them starting at the earliest in August. As far as when we come up with a funding formula, it really depends how those negotiations and discussions go. I would hate to presuppose a solution without having those discussions.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs did a Minister's statement on designated authority council training. It is very exciting, and I am happy to hear this. I guess my first question for the Minister is additional funding to support delivery. If this delivery is going to be done by the internet, what additional costs are we looking at for this delivery of the program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The availability of the training online is one method of reaching people to access their training needs. The reality is that online training does not work for all residents in the Northwest Territories. So we also want to make sure that we can also provide face-to-face training and community group-based training as required, so that we meet all of the different learning styles that people have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That kind of leads into my second question with limited access and the ability of councillors to actually access the internet program in order to take this training. In regards to the face-to-face training, are we going to actually bring the MACA staff into the communities, or is it going to be like the School of Community Government's other courses, where they hold a regional one and people have to come in there?

At this point, we are just negotiating with the federal government to see if they will provide funding for the delivery of this support, so it is a little bit premature to report on what exactly this delivery would look like. Once we have the information and a partnership, then we can look at how we deliver it.

I thank the Minister for her answer. I am pretty disappointed that we do not have a plan in place. We have built the program, done a pilot project, and now we still do not know if we will be able to implement it right away besides the internet access. In regards to the courses that were developed, what is the difference between the courses that they provide to other organizations? I am looking at the list, and this is the same thing that you go to councils with before, so what are the differences that is going to make this unique to designated authorities that happen to normal hamlets, towns, facilities, and villages?

They are a little bit different from the municipal government courses that we provide through the School of Community Governments. There are two types of community governments. They are governed by different legislation, they have different authorities, and the reporting arrangements, as well, are different to deliver their programs and services.

Bands generally perform services in the areas of governance, culture, language, membership services, and areas in health, social services, and justice. Municipal governments, on the other hand, generally perform services in water distribution, waste collection, road maintenance, capital infrastructure, land use planning, and recreation. Although sometimes the bands do municipal-like services, they also have a distinct difference in their services and supports that they provide to the residents in their communities.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, and I thank the Minister for her answer. Four of my communities are designated authorities, and four of these communities actually provide all of the municipal services. Again, when we are talking about this, this is a concern for me. Again, when we look at job descriptions, a band manager is the same thing as an SAO. What is the difference between these job descriptions? Are they similar? Are we utilizing existing resources to modify these resources that they are going to provide to the designated authorities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Respectfully, a lot of the bands and designated authorities actually do provide municipal services. Not all of them do. We do have 33 communities within the Northwest Territories. However, municipal governments are different, as stated before. Although job descriptions will have similarities, municipal governments are not responsible for promoting the language or the culture within their communities, and so job descriptions will have to be changed. They also are not responsible for some of the health and social services and the justice supports that designated authorities get access to. There will be similarities, but there will also be differences within the job descriptions.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of MACA. I would like to ask the Minister: what role does the department play in determining the location of sport development camps and other tryout locations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department of Municipal and Community Affairs actually supports the various sports organizations throughout the Northwest Territories to provide services to the residents. The territorial sports organizations themselves decide where the selection of camps will be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Does the Minister know how many of these events have been held in Yellowknife in the past four years compared to other communities throughout the territory?

Due to our working relationship, our partnerships with the five sports and recreational associations throughout the Northwest Territories, the department of Municipal and Community Affairs does not currently track the information on the location of the selected camps. As so, we do not have that information, what specifically is provided in Yellowknife as to other communities.

What programs for youth under sport and recreation currently exist to help youth athletes from remote communities access tryout and sport development opportunities outside of their home communities?

Sport North right now has the Kids Sport program, and they provide support to families that have a demonstrated economic need, so lower income families can apply for that to access sports and recreation facilities. We also have the two regional recreation associations that will take applications to address accessibility, and the department of Municipal and Community Affairs is willing to provide the information to any families that need support in not knowing where to get the applications for these supports provided.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my last but most important question is: how will the Minister act to improve the accessibility of these events, for instance, ensuring that some are held in the Beaufort Delta region? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Municipal and Community Affairs recently met with the five sports and recreation associations, and I may be incorrect, but I believe it was around about a month ago. We are in the process just currently of identifying all of the gaps, overlaps, and areas of need, so I will commit to bringing forward the need to look at providing events, not only in the capital cities or the market communities, but in smaller communities. I will bring that to the table as an identified gap. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.