|
| |
|
| Q 1. |
What is the Rural Secretariat?
|
| A |
The Rural Secretariat is part of the Executive Council of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a focal point for ensuring collaboration among government departments and with community partners. It has a mandate to link economic, social, cultural and environmental issues to advance the sustainable development of the nine Rural Secretariat Regions. The Rural Secretariat reports to the Honourable Trevor Taylor, Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat.
|
| |
|
| Q 2. |
What is the Rural Secretariat doing?
|
| A |
The Rural Secretariat has two main focuses: working directly with citizens through its nine Regional Councils and the Provincial Council to identify policies and programs that advance or hinder the long term sustainable development of the regions and the Province; and working within government to advance an understanding of issues affecting rural areas.
|
| |
|
| Q 3. |
How did you decide upon nine regional councils?
|
| A |
At the first Dialogue Day of the Rural Secretariat in October 2004, we heard from communities that they wanted and needed to be involved in shaping their futures. They wanted to work with government to ensure the long-term viability of communities in the province. Our task was to find a means to allows their voices to be heard and acted upon.
We took a good look at what was already happening throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. We knew there were areas of the province which have common interests, and share social, cultural and economic backgrounds. We knew from research done around the world that smaller rural communities can be most viable when they work collaboratively with the larger communities within their regions. We identified nine areas of the province which we thought show natural linkages and the ability and interest to work together for a shared future. Each area has one or two larger centres with a network of smaller communities around them. Our plan was to build on these natural clusters to create nine sustainable regions. People within these regions will all have access to education, training, health care and employment.
Each region has a Regional Council.
|
| |
|
| Q 4. |
Who is on the Regional Councils of the Rural Secretariat?
|
| A |
The members on the Regional Councils were selected following an open call for nominations. In selecting the individuals, the Minister tried to ensure there was a balance between males and females, older and younger people, from larger and smaller communities, and with diverse backgrounds in economic, social, cultural or environmental areas. While many individuals had direct experience in a variety of paid and voluntary organizations, they were asked to leave their hats at the door and bring their collective experiences of living and working in a region to the table.
|
| |
|
| Q 5. |
What do the Regional Councils do?
|
| A |
The regional councils are a start of a larger process of directly engaging citizens in working with government to determine priorities for the sustainable, long-term development of their regions. Citizens are living with the challenges each day and want to have a role in the decisions that will affect them. Government can gain new insight by engaging citizens in real, ongoing discussions about the future of regions. The regional councils can access considerable information on their regions from the Community Accounts and other data sources. They can look at their current assets and challenges and compare themselves with other areas. This leads to frank and informed discussions about issues, leads to the identification of underlying problems - not just symptoms, and then on to suggested solutions which are practical and doable. If there are policy and program implications, their staff support will be able to follow up with the appropriate organizations in their area. The councils also have direct contact with the government through their representative on the Provincial Council of the Rural Secretariat.
|
| |
|
| Q 6. |
What is the role of the Provincial Council?
|
| A |
The Provincial Council is the forum through which citizens speak directly to the decision makers at the highest level. The Councils will identify long-term priorities for the Province and help shape public policy directions. It has representation from each of the nine regional councils, from the two public post-secondary institutions and representatives with interests related to labour, business, social, environment, cultural and aboriginal issues.
|
| |
|
| Q 7. |
How will Regional Councils actually influence what happens in a region?
|
| A |
Each region will bring its perspective to Cabinet through representation on the Provincial Council. In addition, Regional Councils, by identifying priority areas, can also work directly with government to promote specific policy and program changes needed in their region. It will be through these meetings with Cabinet and the Deputy Ministers (most senior officials within government) that regions will influence the policy and program decisions made within government. Over time, there will also be the opportunity for Regional Councils to work directly with government departments as they discuss specific policy or program approaches.
|
| |
|
| Q 8. |
Will each region have an equal voice? Will each region’s advice carry equal weight?
|
| A |
Absolutely. This is not a cookie cutter approach – each region may have different issues. That diversity will be encouraged, enabled and respected and receive equal time and weight. Every issue may or may not be resolved to each region’s satisfaction, but there will be open discussion and solid evidence will be used as the basis for decision-making.
|
| |
|
| Q 9. |
Why is St. John’s even included in the “Rural” Secretariat?
|
| A |
Each of the regions of the Rural Secretariat has both larger and smaller communities within its boundaries. While St. John’s impacts the whole Province, it certainly plays a significant role in the long-term sustainability of the rural communities on the whole Avalon Peninsula. It is not a one way dependency – St. John’s needs the smaller communities too. Just as in every region of the province, smaller and larger communities need to understand the nature of the dynamics that are at work and see one another as assets.
|
| |
|
| Q 10. |
Isn’t this just a way of passing responsibility on to citizens for controversial decisions?
|
| A |
No. Pointing fingers and blaming each other is not going to address the economic and social challenges facing our communities, regions, and the province. This approach is meant to engage citizens in an ongoing, long-term discussion about the future and to focus on overcoming challenges and supporting opportunities for sustainable development. It will draw upon the expertise within government and within regions. Whether we are elected officials, employees of government, a private business or in the not-for-profit sector, volunteers, or private citizens, we all have a vested interest in this province and we all need to have a voice in its future.
People make choices everyday about their futures and their decisions have consequences:
• do they move away from home for education, to explore the world, to get higher wages?
• how do they decide what community they want to live in?
• what kind of jobs can they realistically expect to find in their area?
• are they willing to commute to work in order to live in a specific community?
• are they willing to live away from their families to get higher wages even if there are jobs available locally?
• are they willing to make trade-offs to live where they want or to earn the kind of living they want?
• do they shop in the locally owned business or do they shop at large retail outlets?
• do they buy locally grown vegetables or buy products that are imported into the Province?
Government does not make those decisions. Individuals and families make these decisions based on what they value and what they need to do to earn a living.
|
| |
|
| Q 11. |
How is the Rural Secretariat different from other organizations involved in social and economic development?
|
| A |
The Regional Councils of the Rural Secretariat does not have the same role as other social and economic development organizations, like the School Boards or Zone Boards. They tend to have quite specific mandates related to some aspect of social, cultural, environmental or economic development. The role of the Rural Secretariat is to provide a long-term, integrated focus on regional sustainability. It provides a forum for discussion within government, within regions, as well as between regions and government on economic, social, cultural and environmental aspects of sustainability. The Secretariat gives citizens a voice in public policy development at the highest level.
|
| |
|
| Q 12. |
Are the Regional Councils the Rural Secretariat?
|
| A |
No, the Regional Councils are advisory groups. The Rural Secretariat is actually part of the Executive Council of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. It has a staff complement of 16: six staff in St. John’s, including an Assistant Deputy Minister, and ten staff in the nine regions. Each region has a Regional Planner who works with the Regional Council (the Avalon because of its population density has two staff.), and with other organizations throughout their regions. Staff in the St. John’s office provide support to the regional staff, undertake research work on rural issues, and serve on a number of inter-departmental committees to ensure there is a rural perspective on issues, and provide support to the Provincial Council.
|
| |
|
| Q 13. |
Will the Rural Secretariat fund projects or manage programs?
|
| A |
No. But, by working across government departments and by having regional councils that can directly influence policy and program development, we hope to make programs more responsive and flexible in meeting regional development needs.
|
| January 2007 |
Council
