Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my concern today that I will raise in my Member's statement is to do with the Midnight Sun Daycare. Mr. Speaker, this is an organization that has operated in the community of Inuvik for quite a number of years. They have recently run into some serious problems with funding and how that funding can be used. There are a number of pots they can access but there are stipulations to how the money can be used.
They contacted me in my last visit home and informed me that they were having some problems. There has been a fair bit of work that has been done working with them and I must acknowledge the work of the Midnight Sun Daycare Board as well as the regional staff from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. They have been working together and approaching the aboriginal organizations and any other organizations that might have some funding available to them. As of yet, we are not sure how it is going to go. They were on their last avenue to see where they could go and how the Midnight Sun Daycare can continue to function.
When I met with them, they figured they had two weeks left in their mandate in the sense of keeping the doors open. Mr. Speaker, they have in their care during the day-to-day process, up to 36 children. That is a large amount and that will probably grow as we see opportunities for employment grow in the community.
And this affects, Mr. Speaker, all walks of life in the community of Inuvik from single mothers to double income families to those in the Aurora Campus program. We need to try and do something to ensure that this facility and this program continue to operate. I know they have some initiatives to clear up and some work to be done that was pointed out by the regional staff to them, but I know they are working hard at it.
I have contacted the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment on this and asked for his assistance. Later on Mr. Speaker, I will be questioning him as to whether we have had any success in trying to garner his department's support. Thank you.