Debates of October 28, 2004 (day 30)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for the Honourable Michael McLeod, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, and in his capacity for the NWT Council of Sport and Recreation Partners, which, Mr. Speaker, has been in the making for arguably more than four years now. I understand, Mr. Speaker, that this council has now finally been formatted and put together. I wanted to ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, when this council is going to actually get off the ground and what its mandate is. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our plans for this new sports council coming into operation is April of 2005. We want to have one year or some time for transition to allow for Members to develop some new business plans and budgets and plan for the integration of some of the programs and services. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Yes, Mr. Speaker. The creation of this council, it seems, is something very much driven by the government. The history was one of expectations and things that people from various sectors, various communities and regions thought should be in there but weren’t quite being delivered on. I would like to probe again just what is the mandate of this council and how is it going to improve the delivery of sport and recreation services in the NWT. The mandates, please, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my first answer, the committee is going to be formulated over this next while. The plans are to have it operational by April of this year. The mandate and business plans are all yet to be developed. The intention of creating this new council was to have the amalgamation of all our sports priorities under one umbrella to create a forum where all communities would have a voice…

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…and be able to reduce some of the overlap in terms of providing programs and services and also have the ability to coordinate some of our services and, at the same time, reduce some of our costs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Okay, so we are getting somewhere. Those are very positive and desirable goals. I guess, in that though, whenever we create some new organization or some new system, Mr. Speaker, we should always be looking for ways in which we are going to measure its progress. How are we going to assess its value and see if it is, indeed, sticking to those goals? Could the Minister advise the Assembly what are the measurements by which we would be able to assess this new council’s aspirations? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware, at this point, if we have developed the process areas or time frames where we would perform an evaluation. We certainly could work on that and develop and build it into our business plan as we work them out in the next while. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Okay. I guess this leaves me wondering, and I think it shouldn’t leave the communities wondering and the volunteers and the many participants in our sport and recreation system wondering, Mr. Speaker, why we are taking this step. It has been a torturous journey for the creation of this council, but we really have the thinnest and most skeletal of arrangements for how it is going to work. When can the Minister bring back to this Assembly a better plan and a framework for how it is going to work, and how we will be able to gauge its success? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 336-15(3): NWT Council Of Sport And Recreation Partners

Mr. Speaker, the implementation plan has been drafted. I did table it in the House. Maybe the Member could take the time to refer to that document. Thank you.