We have 70 projects. Let me use one of the projects as an example and explain the process behind it. Having access to financial support for the partial funding of these projects was crucial and has acted as a springboard.
What was the process? We advised our 17 networks that we were undertaking a tender process for the projects. This allowed us to reach out to community stakeholders. Dr. Fortier has explained a little about the process on his side. They had a dream to set up a community health care centre and considered how they should get started with the small amount of money that was available to help them set off on the right track. The group developed a project which involved what was, for all intents and purposes, a multidisciplinary team. There was no actual community health care centre initially. Instead, a small multidisciplinary team went from one community to the next. That was what the project was like initially. They submitted their proposal to the Manitoba networks. It was a Manitoban project.
There were also other projects. They had to be prioritized. Following a review of the projects, the network determined which ones would meet a number of their objectives. The objectives were actually clearly identified from the outset: the projects had to improve accessibility, be sustainable and not just a flash in the pan, and provincial approval was necessary. This was an important requirement for approval, because Ottawa indicated it would not interfere in a provincial area of jurisdiction. So, provincial support was necessary. Each and every project, bar none, was approved by the provincial government.
The project starts therefore at a community level, before the province gets involved. A debate then ensues. A whole host of characters gathers around the negotiating table including professionals, regional boards, the provincial government, and the educational establishments. I was involved in the process when I was in Manitoba, and there were some solid debates. Is one project more important than another? Why? What are reasons behind this? You could imagine the type of debate that such questions sparked given that there is never enough money for funding across the board.
Once that stage is complete, the project is then considered at a national level by way of a review committee which goes over the details one last time with Health Canada. Once approved, service delivery contribution contracts are signed with Health Canada. And that is how it works. The groundwork is extremely important.