Thank you, Mr. Speaker. After my Member's statement, I have a couple of questions for the Minister responsible for Youth. I'm sure he could work with the Minister of Justice on this as well, but I'd like to ask the Minister: what kind of programs or funds within the GNWT can organizations like the Odd Squad apply to for government support, financial or otherwise? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Minister responsible for Youth.

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have various programs throughout all the departments that focus on youth within the GNWT. Justice has some funding, obviously, and the ECE and our schools have funding. MACA has sports and recreation and youth funding programs.

We can provide the Member with all the applicationtype funding that we give to youth programming, share it with him so that they can look at the appropriate ways to fill out an application should we want to bring the Odd Squad up to the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

As I mentioned, this great opportunity here, a few of the Members have a responsibility to work with this sort of program here, a very good opportunity. I spoke to one of the organizers who is doing the planning. You know, they're putting in a proposal at the moment. They're planning to visit Fort McPherson and also bring students in from Tsiigehtchic, I believe, and also visiting other areas in the region and down the valley, as well.

So, once this application is brought forward, can the Minister assure me that some sort of funding will be put towards this initiative?

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

I am aware of the request that was made from community justice in Fort McPherson, and we will be bringing this attention forward to the departments responsible and seeing how we can look at reviewing that proposal and whether or not we can fund the program.

Obviously, our communities that are on the road system are ones where we find some of our biggest concerns with alcohol, with drugs, and I know that it's something that wants to be addressed. I guess we are in the process of reviewing that proposal right now, and, as soon as we come up with a solution, we'll get back to the Member.

Frederick Blake Jr.

Mackenzie Delta

That sounded like a yes.

Laughter

I look forward to working with the Minister, and, if we don't find a solution, I'm sure I'll bring it up again here during session. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.