Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, over the years the government has made a substantial investment, not only in the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre, but in other cultural organizations around the Northwest Territories. What I am concerned about is that over time, as our support for these organizations and these facilities erode, we are basically watching the value of our long-term investment erode. When we are dealing with volunteer organizations, of which NACC is certainly one, and there are many others, I think there comes a point where even the most committed and passionate volunteer is going to lose heart and say where is the partnership and the will to forge on and maintain these very valuable assets.
In my mind, Mr. Chairman, they are not options. They are not nice frills that we can have only when we can afford them. They are part of our infrastructure in the Northwest Territories. They are part of our lifestyle. They are part of why we are here. They give us a point of pride and focus for our visitors, and they deserve our support. I would ask the Minister to go back into these programs. There is a half a million dollars in funding. That is not a lot.
I would ask them to seriously consider how this money is profiled and how we are going to get the best long-term value for continuing and restoring our investment to cultural organizations. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.