Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I talked about the need for a youth centre, so my questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Fort Providence youth have identified a need for expanded youth centre services, and other community members are interested in making that dream a reality. How can community stakeholders make application to the Youth Centres Initiative? Mahsi.
Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is more than willing to support any community that is looking at accessing any of our programs, so if the MLA would want, we would be willing to send a regional representative in to help them actually fill in the application. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'd like to thank the Minister for her commitment in terms of offering this staff member from another community to work with these local budding leaders. Apart from that, what other youth programs might stakeholders explore to access funds or other support for their youth centre vision?
Again, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has a variety of programs there, too, with the goal of supporting youth because we recognize that providing supports to youth is important for not only physical activity but also for mental wellness. So we have other initiatives such as the Children and Youth Resiliency Program that can provide supports, too. I am just speaking from what we have as a department, but I can commit to actually having the department work further with the Member if he would like to see if there are other external sources of support to support a youth centre in his community.
Basically, these are questions that these students have followed up, so I am kind of expressing on their behalf. It may sound naïve, but they have to be asked. Residents might be confused by some programs sticking with MACA while we have a separate role for the Minister Responsible for Youth. How will the Minister work with the Minister Responsible for Youth to coordinate services for questions and proposals like this, and make sure Northerners' efforts and dollars and invested efficiently?
The departments right across of the Government of the Northwest Territories make a serious effort to work together. We have a Deputy Ministers Committee that our deputy ministers sit on. The deputy minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, as well as the deputy minister of the Youth, and Education, Culture and Employment. As Ministers, we also have a social committee that we all sit on that both Ministers take part in, and we have actually met with the Minister of Youth to update him on our programs. As any programs change, we will let the Youth Minister know.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last question is directed mostly to the Minister, and an opportunity for her to express, perhaps, in her wise wisdom in terms of any advice that she can offer these students to move the concept of a youth centre into reality. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Member for calling me wise and having wisdom. Sometimes, I wonder, as I age.
Other resources that are available to youth is not an answer I can give at this point. It would take some thought, but I will commit to actually sitting with the Member if he wishes and actually looking at other ways that the community can see this vision actualize.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
