Thank you, Minister. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Madam Chair. This hasn't been defined yet, because we actually have our first working group meeting with our stakeholder group in April, at the end of April. Part of the role of that working group is to map out what implementation of access to information will look like for community governments, including identifying training needs. Once that is identified, then we will be able to be clearer and more succinct about what exactly the school's role will be in terms of delivery of training to support this, but we do not have a definitive answer to that as of yet. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Young. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. I take what the deputy minister said, and maybe my next question might be a little bit speculative. Presumably, though, the School of Community Government would have some role to play or LGANT, Local Government Administrators of the Northwest Territories, is going to have some role to play in making sure that there are training modules or seminars or workshops available so that staff are going to know how to do access to information in the future. If there are additional resources needed, that might come in the form of a supplementary appropriation. Does that seem like a logical approach? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The approach, we will have a collaborative approach, but ultimately, the decision lies with the Department of Justice. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Actually, it doesn't lie with the Department of Justice. Yes, the regulation will determine how it's going to roll out, but MACA needs to be there to support the communities. If that requires additional resources on MACA's part through the School of Community Government or whatever the other tools are, that's a MACA responsibility, and I think MACA should be prepared to stand up to the plate. As I understand it, they've already started that work. Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. My apologies to the Member. I did not answer the question correctly. I will revert this question over to Ms. Young. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Ms. Young.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The only reason I'm cautious around this is the Department of Justice does have a role in training, as well. Without knowing how much of a role they will play in training on the community government side, I can't say whether additional resources will be needed to deliver training through the school or not. That's the only reason for my hesitation to say exactly what that might look like, but agreed, there will be training required. Just how and when it will be delivered, to be determined. Thanks for the clarification. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Young. Member for Frame Lake.
Thanks, Madam Chair. Can I get a commitment out of the Minister, I think we got it from previous Ministers, that whatever the plan is, it's going to be shared with standing committee so that standing committee can see what the proposed rollout is going to look like? Thanks, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I'm committed to providing the information to standing committee. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Are there any further questions under School of Community Government? Seeing that there are no further questions under School of Community Government, please look to page 342, Municipal and Community Affairs, School of Community Government, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, $2,933,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. We will now turn to page 345, which is the sports, recreation, and youth activity. Questions. Any questions? Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a question about funding from the department for the Arctic Winter Games. The money that was allocated to the games that didn't take place, how much of a surplus is that going to generate in the department? Thank you.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Sorry, I didn't hear the question, but it was to do with the Arctic Winter Games and how much money we generated due to the cancellation? Okay. We haven't determined those numbers yet, because we've just cancelled it; I think it was on Monday we made the official announcement. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Any questions? Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. On 348, in our communities, our volunteers, I think we should be doing a little bit more recognition in regard to that because we are burning out volunteers, and it's getting harder and harder to get volunteers. I think what we should be looking at with the department of sport and recreation is that we start doing a little bit more, like a feast in the community every year in regard to appreciation and stuff like that for volunteers. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to elaborate a little bit on the volunteer recognition. MACA does provide money to recognize volunteers. It's applied for through applications, and we only received eight last year. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I think I'm going to elaborate a little bit more on the volunteers that we do have, the recognition that they do get, or sometimes they don't. We have so many people who volunteer all the time in the communities. We used to have awards every year, something like that. Does the department still do stuff like that in recognition of that? Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that award recognition, it is advertised for community governments to put their name forward or to recognize volunteers within their community. They are encouraged to put forward an application, and money is provided to them. It's $1,000 per award. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Madam Chair. No. Just in regard to our sport and recreation, I think with all the athletes who did not go to the Arctic Winter Games, I was going to bring this up. Maybe the recreation department in each community that could take pictures of the athletes who were supposed to go, with their uniform, and they could make their book. Every time you went to the Arctic Winter Games, you got a book with just the pictures of the teams, and stuff like that, Team NWT; a little bit of pride, right? I think something like that should be done, instead of just saying, "Keep your jackets." All the hard work they put into it for the whole year; it's nobody's fault how this COVID-19 happened. It's just safety for the people. What we have to do is: when everything is over, maybe sometime, we could do something like that for the athletes and the coaches and all the staff who took part in this and make a little bit of a pride out of it, also. Thank you, Madam Chair. What are your thoughts?
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I was just asking my department how many athletes we had sent out for the Arctic Winter Games who were supposed to be going to Whitehorse. I do appreciate the Member's comment, and I will be looking at a celebration like that, a model like that. I'm open to further discussion from the other Members to recognize our athletes. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Just to follow up a little bit more with my colleague from Yellowknife Centre. I have questions on a surplus. Since the games were cancelled, would any surpluses go back into the Consolidated Revenue Fund, or would they go back into the youth programs? Marsi cho.
Thank you, Member. Minister.
Thank you, Madam Chair. The money that would be received back from the Arctic Winter Games would go back into the Lotteries Fund. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, Minister. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. Nothing further.
Thank you. Are there any further questions under sports, recreation, and youth? Seeing none, we will move to page 346, Municipal and Community Affairs, sports, recreation and youth, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, $5,507,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Turn now to department summary found on page 317. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Marsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs at this time. Thank you.
The motion is being distributed. Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, you may escort the witnesses out of the Chamber. The motion is in order. To the motion? Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Abstentions? The motion is carried.
---Carried
Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress.
There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.
---Carried
I will rise and report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 30-19(2), 2020-2021 Main Estimates, and would like to report progress with two motions adopted. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
