Debates of March 14, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are addressed to the Minister of Municipal and Communities and it’s a follow-up to the statement I made in the House about some of the concerns that have been raised to me and to my colleague from Inuvik. As opposed to talking about the specifics of the concerns, the question is more in terms of process to the Minister. There’s been a new structure put in place and there has been a lot of work done, but clearly there seems to be some issues out there that need to be resolved. I’d just like to ask the Minister how he would anticipate being able to get the players together to keep working through these issues so that we don’t lose any volunteers that are in such short supply already in the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 27-15(6): Funding For Territorial Sports Organizations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the whole concept of amalgamation and putting all the sports organizations under one roof, one umbrella structure, has been something that’s been proven to be working quite well. We’re quite satisfied that we’re making some really good progress with the lotteries; we’re making good progress in terms of amalgamating a lot of the administration; we’ve also made some great headway in terms of housing all the organizations in their own building under one roof. There have been a few concerns that have come forward, especially in light of some of the territorial sports organizations that have been penalized. That is an issue that we are talking to the Sport North organization about, how they can deal with these things. There have been appeals but, Mr. Speaker, for the most part, we’re quite satisfied that things are going ahead pretty good and we hope that they will continue to do so. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 27-15(6): Funding For Territorial Sports Organizations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I agree, as well, that there’s been a lot of positive changes, but clearly we’re hearing from some of the TSOs that the structures that are there -- and we focus a lot on the structure -- still comes down to the volunteers in the communities delivering the programs. The question to the Minister is what specific steps will be done to try to address or bring the TSOs to have a discussion with the rest of the organization to try to sort out some of these differences before we have an exodus of critical volunteers? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 27-15(6): Funding For Territorial Sports Organizations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the Member is referring to a concern that was brought forward this year as the result of Sport North levying some penalties. I guess it should be clear that Sport North is an independent body; they are registered a society; they have their own administration; these are their own rules; these are the members of their partnerships. There are two types of penalties that are being levied here. There are penalties for late filing of their accounting and their forms and the general accounting practices, and there’s also some penalties that are being levied as a result of performance. So there are two types of penalties that are being implemented here and, Mr. Speaker, these are the rules that the TSOs have agreed to have placed upon themselves; they agreed that they would work within the confines. There is a concern that some of the filing is starting to be a challenge for these volunteers. We’re working with that whole concept to try and improve it, and through our Pan Territorial Sport Strategy we’d like to see if we can place some resources within the ranks of the TSOs. So far we’ve had one position dedicated to hockey; we have another half-time position dedicated to skiing. We’d like to improve that. We’d like to up that to maybe five this year. Pending the positive response from the federal government, we’d like to update that to five so that three more TSOs can be brought on stream with staff that can help them out; or maybe even more than five, I’m not sure, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 27-15(6): Funding For Territorial Sports Organizations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are in this Legislature as elected politicians and when constituents come to us outside of the processes that are there -- in this case, dealing with sports and recreation -- it’s indicative, clearly, that there some heartburn, some angst, some unhappiness and frustration. I’d like to ask the Minister, we want to keep everybody in the tent; we want to keep this new system evolving and improving. Could the Minister commit to encouraging Sport North and all the TSO folks to gather around the table? Clearly, they may have made some decisions that now, through application, have proved wanting; that obviously require a second look. Could the Minister commit to trying to make sure that these folks gather around the table to see if they can work this out, so that we’re not tying up their time and the time of this House if it can be sorted out? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 27-15(6): Funding For Territorial Sports Organizations

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe there have been filings of appeal from six of the organizations. I’m not sure if that has taken place. My information was that there would a gathering of the territorial sports organizations in April. We are having our discussions with Sport North to see if there’s a better system, a more user-friendly system in terms of reporting. We’d like that to happen and we will continue those discussions. However, we recognize that it’s a real challenge for some of the organizations out there to meet the accounting requirements. We have to have good accounting requirements, and that may mean that we’ll have to provide some form of support, and that may mean some staff positions within the ranks of the TSOs or other organizations. We’ll have those discussions with Sport North and some of the other organizations that are experiencing some growing pains or some pains in terms of providing programs. I think the Aboriginal Sports Circle has had some challenges that we’re working with them, also, to meet. Thank you.