Rural Dialogue
Thompson, Manitoba

Thompson, Manitoba - ENGLISH
Tuesday June 9, 1998
5:30 pm - 8:50 pm

Questions

1. A) Rural residents are concerned about the future of their communities.
What are the key strengths of your community as you look to the future?

1. B) What are the biggest challenges that you, your family and your community face as you look to the future?

2. What is preventing you and your community from overcoming these challenges?

3. What organizations, levels of government or others should be involved in working to overcoming these challenges?

4. What role do you see specifically for the federal government in working with you to overcome these challenges?

5. How can federal programs and services better support your community's needs (e.g., are there changes needed in the design, delivery, awareness or accessibility)?

6. What is the best way for the Federal Government to continue to hear the views of rural people on an ongoing basis (e.g., meetings, surveys, polls, newsletters, advisory groups, the Internet, etc.)?

Findings

1. Rural residents are concerned about the future of their communities.
a) What are the key strengths of your community as you look to the future?

• Each group identified the human resources as being the primary strength. A high ratio of youth to older members of the community was seen as a positive factor.
  
• Natural resources were identified by each group as being a significant strength.
  
• The existing transportation infrastructure including roads, rails, airports and the Port of Churchill were seen as an asset.
  
• The pristine environment, willingness to address changes and an optimism about economic development opportunities prevailed.

• The key challenge remains the need for maintenance and extension of the transportation infrastructure.
  
• Access to higher education and training for specific skills (e.g. pilots, heavy truck drivers, health care workers, and entrepreneurial skills).
  
• With a large population of young people, youth employment is a significant challenge.
  
• Resolution of land claims should encourage resource exploitation.
  

• Most groups identified the fact that there is a lack of community ownership of decisions with regard to many government programs.
• Considerable agreement is that "The North" is not the same as the southern rural areas.
• Sparse population, distance between communities and the significant costs of providing many services inhibit significant development.
• A lack of opportunities to develop transportation infrastructure education to meet specific northern needs, doctors, pilots, etc.
• An inability to use equity i.e. the value of land to generate capital for development.
• It is important that communities, local and federal governments celebrate successes and give recognition to the leadership taken by Northerners.
• As a generator of wealth through the exploitation and export of natural resources the North should have a return on its generation of wealth.
• "Blanket Policies" that meet the needs of central and southern parts of Canada do not necessarily meet the needs of the North.
• Significant investment is required in health and education to overcome the barriers.
• Most important, governments need to listen to Northerners.

• All levels of government need to cooperate on planning and implementing programs focused on Northern needs including: transportation infrastructure, education for positions needed in the North, etc.
• Community groups need to work in partnership with government agencies and need to be more involved and sensitive to peoples needs.

• The federal government needs to work in partnership with local governments and community groups to achieve a long term strategy for sustainable development.
• The leadership from the federal government is needed to facilitate and coordinate planning and implementation steps in the North.
• A better understanding that Northern needs are distinct from rural needs.
• Housing programs are needed to overcome the problems of capital availability and the inability to use land as equity.
• Incentives are needed to attract appropriate development and provide jobs for the young people who are in special need of employment opportunities.
• Federally funded training programs must focus on the specific needs of the North and not simply apply southern goals or programs that are inappropriate in the North.

• The federal government needs a coordinated presence in the North that has a thorough knowledge of federal programs available and can provide coordinated access to federal programs for Northerners.
• A significant increase in communications about existing programs and services would allow Northerners to have access to usable and relevant information.
• A simplified delivery system for services from HRD, medical services, Transport Canada, etc. would be to northerners advantage.

• Why do they need to know?
• The federal government needs to use each and every federal office to distribute and receive accurate, timely and relevant information.
• Face to face consultation with community organizations and local governments needs to focus on specific requirements i.e.: improved health services, infrastructure development, post-secondary education, and other concerns of the grass roots.

All Rural Dialogue session reports on this Canadian Rural Partnership (CRP) web site are included for information purposes only. The views expressed in the Rural Dialogue session reports have not been edited and are those of one or many rural Canadians who attended the Rural Dialogue sessions.

The views expressed in the Rural Dialogue session reports do not necessarily represent the views of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada or any other department or agency of the Government of Canada. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada does not make any warranties, expressed or implied, as to the content and/or use of the Rural Dialogue session reports.