Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I didn't respond to the information he gave about the situation being complicated and the Aurora College not really knowing exactly where these students are going to go, because I didn't want to argue on that point. I would just like to point out the fact that this is a very complicated situation, and I don't think the Minister is in a position to promise things, because the facts are just simply not known. So with respect to his policy change, could I get a guarantee from the Minister that, regardless of what happens with the federal funding, I believe there's still a responsibility on the part of this Minister to do something. So I'd like to know if he would be bringing to the Social Programs committee, an improvement to this policy within the next three months, prior to the next session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just told the Member one change that I think is an improvement to our day care operations. I have committed that if we're going to put extra money in, I will look for a way to do that in the next budget. But if there are other changes we are considering, I would be happy to share that with the Standing Committee on Social Programs, at their convenience.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister has indicated, the situation there is still fluctuating in terms of alternate care for children and parents, which I think should still be the most important thing. Could the Minister commit to leaving that day care open and have the operator have access to that facility, so they can wind down the facility if it closes tomorrow? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the operator has said they are going to close that operation. We have taken that statement at face value. As I understand it, the college's lawyer and the operator's lawyer are discussing the facility or the space and how the lease will be terminated at the end of the operation. At this point, it's become an issue between those two, and their lawyers, in order to solve. I can't say that I can intervene. As I understand it, the operator has said there needs to be a cash infusion in order to carry on. At this point, we are not prepared to provide that cash infusion for them to carry on, if that is what is required. If the operator submits all of the reports required, the department will expedite the consideration of any fees that are owing to the operator, and make sure any contributions are paid very quickly.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the Member is referring to the socio-economic mitigation fund, not the community infrastructure fund. That's the $500 million fund. Mr. Speaker, the legislation that is required is federal legislation. The federal House is sitting. The last word I had with the Minister responsible was that they were aiming to do it during this sitting. I don't have an update today on where that is at. That's a federal piece of legislation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, this is a major piece of our expectation of how we can go ahead with this project. Do we have anybody or an organization on site in Ottawa working this file? I look to the example of the Tlicho people who were very aggressive and on site in Ottawa playing this one. Are we going to be putting those kinds of resources behind this bill? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, we have representation on the coordinating committee that is working out the terms and guidelines of how this fund would be managed. In terms of having a lobby group, or someone in Ottawa who is going to be putting the pressure on the federal government to move this along

quickly, we don't have any lobby effort there. The bill is more of a procedural bill in order to have the money released. So it's not something that we would get involved in lobbying. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, another piece of critical work with Ottawa is the Northern Strategy. If memory serves me correctly on that one, we are looking at delivery of that document somewhere around the end of this year. Could the Minister advise on the status of the Northern Strategy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, our staff have been working with people from the other two territories and the federal government on some of the deliverables that can be included in the Northern Strategy. Mr. Speaker, the one primary deliverable that we insist be in the Northern Strategy is an agreement-in-principle on devolution and resource revenue sharing. Mr. Speaker, I am in discussions with the federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs on this issue. Hopefully we will have that resolved in the next week or two. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, when should we anticipate, then, the unveiling of the Northern Strategy? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope that we are able to have a signing of it, release of it, before the First Ministers' meeting the third week of November. However, Mr. Speaker, I must emphasize that I am only one player. There are two other Premiers and the Prime Minister who also have a say in this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.