Mr. Speaker. We did commit funding in the order of $600,000 in the current year to assist in the formation of credit unions as proposed by the arctic cooperatives. It is true that we cannot continue to stand by this commitment forever. Something substantial should start happening the next while. It is a substantial sum of money to hold in anticipation of something that has yet to make any substantive progress.

So, as the minister I will stand by that commitment as long as I can, but I am unable during this time of fiscal restraint and cutbacks, to tell you exactly how long that would be. But, as I said, we hope that the Arctic Cooperatives will send us a letter very soon indicating what the new time lines and implementation plans are so that we can sit down with them and continue, hopefully, to work towards a resolution of this initiative. Thank you.