Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to stand today to speak again on the importance of the volunteer sector here in the Northwest Territories. We need to recognize the tremendous contribution of volunteers, especially in this, the International Year of Volunteers. They are young and old, male and female, black hair, grey hair, red hair, no hair, or even green hair, as I might have later on when I volunteer for Cops for Cancer, Mr. Speaker. They care about people. They want and they can make a difference in the lives of others, as well as their own.

Statistics tell us that Northerners lead almost all other Canadians in volunteer activity. According to the 1999 Labour Force Survey, 41 percent of Northerners participated as volunteers during 1998. There are 571 registered, non-government organizations, or NGOs, or not-for-profit groups in the Northwest Territories. These groups and many more that are not registered under the Societies Act are collectively referred to as the volunteer sector.

Mr. Speaker, these volunteer groups generate a surprising 1,732 jobs. They represent six percent of our labour force, with $69 million in salaries. What other benefits does government receive from this third sector, as the volunteer sector is sometimes called?

They provide a tremendous range of programs and services to the residents. They play an important role in supporting active citizenship and well-being. Mr. Speaker, I believe this government could do a better job of supporting them.

For instance, many groups do not know by the close of their fiscal year whether they will be able to have continued funding for the following year and can indeed keep their doors open. We as a government must provide timely and adequate funding and let those groups get on with their program delivery. Multi-year funding agreements should be the norm when there is an established track record and a history of results.

With regard to value for money, I wish I could get as good a rate of return as this government gets for its contributions to non-government organizations. They are experts on leveraging funds from the federal government, the private sector, and fundraising in various foundations. They might even be able to give the Minister of Finance a few tips on this matter.

I believe we need to do our part for the non-government organizations in support of long-term funding programs. That is my message, Mr. Speaker. We need to form a new relationship with our volunteers, recognizing the vital role they play in our society. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause