The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know some time back, that the department did say that they were going to work with ILA with regard to the permitting process and I'm very surprised that his department hasn't even moved forward with that application process. I understand that there might be a little bit of loss but I think, if I may request, Mr. Speaker, that I think the Minister should get his department to at least submit that application to the ILA. Thank you.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm probably going to have to get into some level of detail here for the Member. He's well aware of the challenges we've had with the ILA and fees and royalty structures in that particular regime. The permitting process necessary for constructing the road from Tuktoyaktuk to source 177 is the application submission will have to have the royalty fees associated with that permit attached. Our estimates, based on the length of the road and the land around the source that we need, runs about $3 million, Mr. Speaker. That's something of a huge issue for us as a department and us as a government. Secondly, once even upon application of $3 million, the title to the footprint of the route is not even available to the government after that. Thank you.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the Member that that is not the case. We are continually negotiating and having discussion with ILA to discuss the permitting fees and the permitting to access the route for source 177. Thank you.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the 14th Assembly there was a report that recommended multi-year funding and the importance that it would bring to NGO organizations to create stability and a sense of continuity for their funding source. Mr. Speaker, in the 15th Assembly I was able to work with the NWT Seniors' Society to help get them a multi-year funding agreement, and special recognition goes to then-Minister Miltenberger of the Department of Health. Mr. Speaker, that was a milestone, I'd say, but one that, I think, passed without any thunder and excitement, because it was a big milestone. Mr. Speaker, my questions now go to, I'm going to say, Minister Roland, because I think it touches on both his departments, both Finance and Health. So my questions to Minister Roland

today are what is the difficulty to create a process that still alludes us? What is the difficulty starting a program and a policy clearly outlined that can help NGOs get a multi-year funding agreement in place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Member himself has stated, multi-year funding has been entered into in a number of areas through a number of departments and that continues to be the program we do have available. Each department would look at a case-by-case if they could support that. Ultimately, whether we call it multi-year funding or not, every year has to have its approval through our budget process and the approval of this Assembly. Thank you.

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Minister must have been answering with his Finance hat on in that situation because the fact is he's quite correct that every year has to be approved. However, the fact is we can set out long-term agreements clearly in writing and, as I've said on numerous occasions, that if we have a bad year in the Assembly where we have to do cutbacks, that proviso could always be written into any agreement. I'll tell you, the NGOs that I speak to welcome that because they recognize that we can't predict every day for how many more years ahead of us. So the fact is, this can and will save us money. Would the Minister agree today to look into setting up a process that we could streamline a system, that any group who wants to come forward and ask for multi-year funding with the provisos required, that he can set up this process so we can get the ball moving on this initiative? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.