We have a committee made up of a combination of Cabinet Ministers and MLAs. We have three Cabinet Ministers and five MLAs on the Committee on Sustainability of Rural and Remote Communities. The terms of reference provide that it would provide advice to Cabinet.

The way I would see it is that this committee, we would have to work it so that it can tie into the budget process so that their recommendations can be provided on a timely basis, in time that they could be considered when we do capital planning and our main estimates.

I think that request seems very simplistic, and if you multiply that a thousand-fold, we still wouldn’t have enough money. I think we have to be focused.

I also talked about the third-party accountability framework. The NGO Stabilization Fund is just a top-up. There are three categories of NGO funding that are provided for by all departments. That’s what the framework is for, is to categorize the level of reporting for the funding that is received by NGOs. Not all NGOs provide essential services to the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The changes that we made were we clarified who was eligible to apply. We were getting all kinds of applications from organizations and groups that were applying that didn’t provide any services to the Government of the Northwest Territories. We also tightened up the program so that we could get the request for applications out soon and that we would process the applications on a timely basis and flow the money out promptly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We would like to fund all of the requests, but we have a finite level of resources and we are going to the main estimates process. We will also be rolling out a number of strategies that pertain to social programs, such as the Early Childhood Development Framework, the Northwest Territories Anti-Poverty Strategy, the Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Mental Health recommendations, Economic Opportunities Strategy, Mineral Development Strategy, the Land Use and Sustainability Framework. So we’ll be rolling out all of those frameworks as well.

So I can commit to the Member...

It sounds like the Member is focusing only on the NGO Stabilization Fund when the NGO Stabilization Fund is just a fund to top up funding to NGOs that provide essential services for the Government of the Northwest Territories.

We have a third-party accountability framework, which is called Excellence Through Partnerships, and I think that is more appropriate to the line of questioning that you are taking. We have three categories of NGOs and I am sure that when we review it, if we get more specifics as to how or why you think land claims organizations should be funded by this government as an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct; we reviewed the NGO Stabilization Fund to clarify which types of NGOs were eligible to apply and also to respond faster, to process the applications faster and flow the money out on a much faster basis. We were able to do that. This year we have had 14 applications. Thank you.

Obviously, we want communities in the rural and small communities to have a similar quality of life to other communities in the Northwest Territories. I’ve always said that one shouldn’t be penalized because of where they live, so we would endeavour to try to work in that regard.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following four documents, entitled “NWT Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement,” “Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement: A Plain Language Summary,” “Summary of Changes to Consensus Draft Devolution Agreement and Schedules Dated March 11, 2013,” and “Results of the Public Engagement on the Proposed Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement.” Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that this Legislative Assembly express its support for the approval of the Northwest Territories Lands and Resources Devolution Agreement.

Mr. Speaker, the 17th Legislative Assembly has a vision of a territory where strong individuals, families and communities share in the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous territory.

The path to that vision has its obstacles and challenges. Now, as Northerners, we do not shy away from challenges. Our territory is built on the strength and resilience of people who have persevered and survived despite harsh climate and the sometimes harsh reality of northern living. However, there are times when the load can be lightened, the challenges met and...