Mr. Chairman, I would specifically like to focus in on the diminishing level of support for a territorial institution that started in 1982. It was a unique partnership among the government and several of its departments, education, public works, were involved in there. Southern media, I believe it was the Globe and Mail that was very excited and enthusiastic about supporting the start of a northern culture facility. We now have a 330 seat performing arts facility, the only one of its kind in the Northwest Territories. Its mandate is to serve the Northwest Territories as the premiere performing arts facility, and to foster Northwest Territories traditional and performing arts.

A foundation of its creation in 1982, or 1983, was that the Government of the Northwest Territories made the commitment to provide the overhead for the physical structure itself, but also a level of core funding that would enable it to continue to foster these goals and objectives on a continuing basis. The folks over at NACC have advised that the $100,000 annual contribution has diminished to about $20,000 a year. It is arguably, the lowest of its kind in Canada, for a facility of this kind and its role as a territorial facility.

NACC has continued to survive, if not thrive. It has a budget including services in kind and donations and revenues from activities of about $190,000. However, the organization has recently made it plain, and not in a complaining or threatening way, but in a very factual and constructive way, that its long-term future is in jeopardy without the territorial government restoring, not increasing, not adding to, but restoring that original commitment to the success of this facility. I would like to ask the Minister what plans he has to reconsider this very realistic and very necessary request. Thank you.