Can you tell us where the blockage occurs? The money is there, the budgets have been adopted, and the communities are telling us that when the budgets run out, they have to get a line of credit to continue their operations. But the money is there, the budgets have been adopted. So who is blocking the communities? Is it the department? Is the government? This is one of the problems. Communities are expected to take charge and to have an action plan. But if the funding is provided late and the people are forced to turn to lines of credit or to proceed with lay-offs at the end of the program, in reality, the program is doomed to fail. We did not hold in camera meetings, but the people from the affected communities whom we met with publicly clearly told us, everywhere we went, that the money is coming in too late. So I ask the question: Who is holding up the money? Is it the department or is it the government itself that refuses to issue the cheque?
On January 29th, 2008. See this statement in context.