May 31, 2013 - Phoenix Sinclair Inquiry

B.D. MCKENZIE - DR.EX. (OLSON) MAY 31, 2013
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block funding type program for other First Nations, do you
see any problems with using that type of a, of a block
funding program?
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A
Well, I know it's, it's of interest to some and,
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but -- and, and it is something that I think is worth
looking at, but I would come back to certain guidelines
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that have to be in place.
And that would -- one of them
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would be a way of ensuring that the block grant agreed to
is adequate to provide for the children that need out of
home care and potentially give the agency some flexibility
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in how they can use surpluses.
It would need to take into
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consideration extraordinary factors, like for example, if a
community has, is threatened by fire and all the children
need to be removed from the community and this triggers
extraordinary child welfare expenses, these cannot be met
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within a block.
Because one of the features of a block
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grant is that the agency must, must manage their
expenditures within that block and be responsible for any
deficits. So there has to be a way of covering deficits in
extraordinary circumstances that are beyond the agency's
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ability to control.
Given those factors, it is -- and
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capacity within the agency to be able to sort of move in
this direction with the community, it has potential for
application in other communities.
Q Okay. So you would need some strong leadership
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