I don't expect the Minister to agree with my statement but I'm sure the statement is true. I think that a superintendent and the eight staff that are at our regional centres are doing an incredible job to be -- and to have that many people to report to at the headquarters level, and supposedly serving all the communities and regional centres, is phenomenal. And when I look at some of these figures, it just tells me that the balance is not there to serve the regional centres and all the communities in the Northwest Territories. When you have too many chiefs and not enough Indians, that's what usually happens, Madam Chair. And I think that the Minister has got to look at this, and this is where some of this decentralization should really occur because, you know, one of our mandates, one of our main mandates was decentralization and putting all 14 positions here back into the capital is not agreeable because I think that, you know, we have to also give bonuses to the small communities and to the regional centres to make sure that they are able to move forward and do the amazing job that they're already doing. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Are there any further questions or comments under this section? Member for Monfwi.

Yes. I want to ask the Minister regarding this program management. So I don't know what this program management is and maybe they can elaborate on that. And as well there's a decrease from last fiscal year to this upcoming fiscal year. If they can explain that why there's decrease. And, yes, thank you.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

Thank you. So it was less travel because of COVID and grants and contributions. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. Yes, that clarifies. Another one too is that last year I know the Minister said that they were going to look into possibly transferring jobs to the regions to the small communities. And to date, there's nothing. So I'm just wondering all these 14 positions, it's all located in headquarters. Will the Minister commit to moving any of these positions to the regions and to small communities?

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

Thank you. No, I will not.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Well, that's what they said last year that they were, you know -- -that that's what they were going to look into it. And then even like I said before it was part of the devolution deal. And I do support that I would like to see a lot of these position decentralized to the small communities and to regional centres because just like everybody else that we do need lot of jobs in these communities, and people have to live. And at this time, we don't have too many jobs in small communities, and they're all located in Yellowknife. And North Slave positions, North Slave positions are not really north -- it's not small communities. They don't represent small communities. They represent Yellowknife. They're all headquarters positions. So it will be nice if we can change that, do something about that. And, you know, like instead of having North Slave, you know, change that to headquarters. And instead of -- and for Tlicho region, we should have our own region. And even like my colleague said here too, like, have their own region as well. So, yeah, no, it's just that it's -- that's what he said last year. That's what the Minister reported last year, that they were going to try and, you know, possibly transferring some of those positions to the regions. And it's not happening, and I just wanted to know why the 14 positions that they're not going to move. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

Thank you. So we looked at it. It's not feasible. We need the positions where the positions are located. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

They're not feasible. Why they're not feasible? Like, is it -- what is it? If he can elaborate more on that too, that would, you know, would help us.

Thank you. Minister of MACA.

So the positions are where they're located is about the team working together. You got to remember with Municipal and Community Affairs, we work collaboratively. Moving a position to, say, Behchoko might not be suited for the position work with people from the Beau-Del. That's why we have regional that we work there. The headquarters staff work with our regional staff on territorial projects together, and that's best suited where these positions are. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Member for Monfwi.

Well, technology have improved, you know so they can do teamwork from wherever they are, from which community that they are representing. So that's not a good excuse not to transfer any of those positions. So it's okay. Thank you.

Thank you. Member, did you have any further questions under this topic? Are there any further Members that have any questions under community operations? Member for Hay River South.

I just want to make one comment, Madam Chair, and just talking about moving positions out. Like, we're talking about a change to affirmative action. We're talking about, you know, trying to increase the number of Indigenous people and Northerners in the public workforce. And, you know, looking at some of the numbers, you know, one way that -- the one way that I think that we have to do it, or we really have to look at, is decentralization of some of the -- you know, some of the services that we provide. And I think MACA is probably one where we could do that. So, you know, if we're going to -- we got to look at what we're doing. We just can't say no. We've got to take into account other initiatives we're trying to do which is affirmative action. And, you know, in some of the communities we look at, you know, 40 to 55 percent Indigenous hires in the public sector. In Yellowknife, I think it's about 15 percent. But if we -- and in the smaller communities we have, you know, 90 percent, 95 percent Indigenous people, but we still don't have the -- meet the targets there. So this is one way. And I think we really have to look, you know, at not just MACA, not just at the people we have here, but how we can maybe, you know, move some of the staff into the regions or into the small communities. Thank you. Just a comment.

Thank you. Directorate, beginning on page 344 with information items on page 345 and 346. Questions? Seeing no questions. Member for Frame Lake.