Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to go back to item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Sarah Kidlapik, her mother and father are also in Repulse Bay and she is here too as well. I would like to thank her for coming. (Translation ends)

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and welcome back to the session. This to everybody. I will have to take the question as notice because I am not briefed on the different types of solutions or chemicals that are put on the roads. I will get back to the Member as soon as I get more information on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. More than once, some of my constituents and also my husband have brought it to my attention that the reporters on the radio and the TV are mispronouncing my first name, and this is really bothering my husband. It is not Manitok. It is Manitok with a double E sound in the middle. I wish to thank my constituents and my husband for bringing this to my attention, and I hope that everybody in Repulse Bay, Chesterfield and Coral Harbour have a great spring and summer. Thank you.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, similar to the territorial government, governments throughout Canada and the United States are adopting community development approaches. This is in response to difficult social and economic conditions. Government budgets are shrinking and communities are demanding more say over priorities, programs and services. We are not the only government to have embraced this change in how we do business.

Mr. Speaker, I recently saw first-hand how the province of Manitoba has approached community development. I was proud to lead an NWT delegation to Brandon, Manitoba to attend the Department of Rural Development's Rural Forum 1998.

This forum was a celebration of community development success. It showcased the community development efforts of rural Manitoba. There were over 350 small business and food product displays, a youth and northern forum, seminars, conferences, workshops, guest speakers and special events.

A northern committee of NWT, Nunavut and northern Manitoba elected officials and staff met for over a day to discuss community development issues and practices in remote communities. This meeting was very positive. The committee has decided to meet again to discuss developing a northern Manitoba/NWT/Nunavut rural forum.

As a result of attending the rural forum, Manitoba is now providing technical expertise to Coral Harbour in country food processing. It is assisting Keewatin communities in developing community-based planning programs. Manitoba is also considering an investment in the Kivalliq Partners in Development, to cost share a trade and investment specialist position.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT is developing a memorandum of understanding with the Province of Manitoba to consider partnership and exchange opportunities that benefit both places. I am glad to say that this partnership is off to a great start. Mr. Speaker, our attendance was organized by the Kivalliq Partners in Development. They provided the support for Keewatin businesses, residents and mayors to attend. They are to be congratulated for developing a partnership with Manitoba that clearly benefits their clients. Mr. Speaker, the Province of Manitoba and community of Brandon provided wonderful hospitality to our delegation. My special thanks to Premier Filmon, Minister Derkach, Brandon's Mayor Atkinson and the people of Manitoba for allowing us to share and experience their rural forum and community development success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share with Members the tremendous success and progress of the Community Empowerment Initiative. Our government's effort to embrace community empowerment through development

has not been an easy task. It presents many challenges.

Mr. Speaker, MACA is responsible for coordinating training programs in sports and recreation, public safety and community governance. I am pleased to provide you with the results in these important community development areas. They are as follows:

- 113 community-based sports and recreation coaches were trained and certified in 1997.

- 612 community residents were trained in public safety areas such as search and rescue, fire services, community policing and emergency services.

- 160 community councillors received governance training during 1997 and 39 senior administrative officers are enrolled in the SAO certificate program.

Mr. Speaker, this totals 1,194 community residents being provided with training in these areas.

We would not have been as successful in measuring up without developing partnerships. MACA invested $547,000 in these community development training initiatives. Our partners assisted by contributing over $1 million toward these initiatives. Mr. Speaker, without the contribution of organizations such as Sport North, the NWT Fire Chief's Association and the RCMP, we would not have been able to achieve what we did. These are just a few of our valued partner organizations and my thanks to these, and all of the other organizations who contributed to this success.

This Legislative Assembly is one of MACA's most important partners. Members of this House continue to support the principles of community development. It has not been an easy task adapting to the significant changes to government because of community empowerment, but this is what community residents have wanted. This was the right thing to do, and this House has measured up in meeting the demands of communities. I thank you for your support.

Mr. Speaker, many regions and communities are now interested in the next community development step. This involves building capacity, organizing and planning for the transfer of government assets and capital planning. Mr. Speaker, MACA's staff has clearly demonstrated their commitment to make a positive change in the quality of life for NWT residents and I am very proud of their achievements. My department had to chart a new and focused course that provides clear direction. At the same time, we have had to monitor how well we are progressing, tell the public how we are doing, stop the thing that did not work, do more with less and never stop improving the community development approach. I look forward to working with our communities and Members of this House, to continue this government's community development and empowerment efforts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive rule 34(6), so that all Ministers' statements filed with the clerk can be delivered today.

All of them are in favour of the concept.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take that as notice.