Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions follow up on my Member’s statement from earlier today and are directed to the Premier as the Minister of Executive. I’d like to ask, recognizing that civil society in the voluntary sector is an important third leg on the stool of government market and the civil society, what actions are we taking as a government to ensure a strong civil society and voluntary sector in a jurisdiction where our government sector is so huge and powerful? Of course, we have a strong market sector.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess we need some clarification on this. We have a couple of areas we work in that we would determine, and through the Executive, the NGO, non-government organizations who deliver programs through department initiatives, and then we have the volunteer sector that the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs is involved in.
On the NGO side, the funding stabilization side, multi-year funding process, that work has been ongoing and we have put in a funding package to try to help stabilize on the NGO side. Thank you.
I appreciate those comments and those actions that are being taken. I think what I’m talking about too is, as a third arm I think we have the role of assisting communities in recognizing that they have a responsibility and an opportunity in fulfilling an important role that’s sort of independent of government. It’s a self-strengthening exercise, if you will. Government has a role in helping them out in that. I’m wondering if we are working with communities to get that sort of independent spirit out there and helping them recognize the role that actually individuals and families and communities can play in strengthening that civil society on their own, perhaps with some assistance from government.
I’m aware in communities and trying to strengthen the role of the volunteer organizations and those organizations serving our communities in a very, I guess it would be a supportive capacity. I know the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is working through the Volunteer Organization Development Contribution Policy. As well, we continue to do, through MACA, the Outstanding Volunteer Awards Program that they continue to help.
I’m wondering, the voluntary sector -- speaking specifically about the voluntary sector -- has called a number of times for an independent office within government, such as the Department of Executive, that would serve to simply help them in building capacity. That’s something this government has talked about a number of times. I think we may even have talked about it earlier in this session. The Premier I believe is putting some consideration into that. I’m wondering where the Premier is at or when we might be able to give a positive response to these organizations that are requesting that office.
I know that there has been call for establishing of an office within Executive. We have not been able to get there at this point, as we have gone through our business planning to look at what options are there. I’d have to get back to see what the request was from committee in this area and then be able to provide a better response.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that commitment again. Let me just ask whether there is anything we can do on this side of the House or, in fact, that our voluntary sector could do to help support the Premier in making that positive decision.
As I’ve said many times, any new initiatives that we would look at putting in place or expanding the role of within departments, we go through our business planning process and look to Members when they make recommendations on any potential changes or new initiatives we’d like to see put in our business plan. So for us, we look at key areas during the budget development process. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
