Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Crown is doing its best with limited resources to assess victims, and the federal government, presently, is contributing some $200,000 towards victims' programs. I had a commitment from our Minister that he will strongly recommend to Mr. Rock that that funding is continued.

As I said earlier, we managed to get a pot of money outside of government expenditures with the victims' of crimes surcharge. Now, the GNWT and the Minister have made a strong commitment to provide support to community-based victims' programs. Our Minister has led a nationally-publicized and highly praised government initiative for zero tolerance of violence.

Everyone in this House praised the Minister for that and strongly supports the Minister in that initiative. What we're trying to do is give the Minister some ideas and encouragement so he can live up to the expectations that have been raised throughout the territories. The Standing Committee on Finance made it very clear that expectations are high. The Minister is aware of that and the Minister, as I recall, said he was taking a risk when he came forward with this policy and he's prepared to live up to the spirit of his commitment.

As my colleague, Mr. Dent, has said, presently, we give around $200,000 in direct support to four programs in Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet and Fort Smith. What's amazing about these programs, for a very small cost, is the amount of volunteer participation. As Mr. Dent has said, the funding for all these programs ends at the end of this month. So, I have a suggestion for the Minister. I recognize the Minister of Finance has budgetary constraints and I recognize the pressures on the government, but on the other hand, we've just got about $70 million in a supplementary appropriation which allowed some 30 new PYs.

Money in this area is not a lot of money. An extra $200,000 for victims services will have a tremendous impact. The sort of idea I'm suggesting to the Minister -- and I think the Minister has already committed to this -- is that the funding to the end of the year be guaranteed, that we have increased funding in the O and M budget next year, and what these programs really need is a three year commitment for funding. So, with a very small cost to this government in a $1.1 billion budget, the government and the Minister of Justice will be able to do a lot to live up to the spirit and the intent of the zero tolerance for violence policy. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause