Mr. Dent.

New question. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, we realize that the federal government has instituted this policy and at this point in time this is one of the issues we are presently dealing with to see how we could take advantage of that.

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In respect to the capital process there was a comment in respect to the Government Leader yesterday when we were debating a motion, that it was general agreement that the planning process and some sort of delaying of next year's budget, was to allow for input from Members with respect to developing capital items to be addressed in their constituency. I would like to ask the Government Leader how she anticipates the ordinary Members will be involved in the capital planning process for the upcoming budget.

Madam Government Leader.

Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister of Finance to respond to that question because there has been some discussion on how we can best accommodate that. Thank you.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are presently behind in putting together next year's budget as I think everyone in the House is aware. I have talked to Mr. Todd, chairman of the standing committee on finance. We propose that when the standing committee on finance is reviewing the capital estimates in January or February, that we would then start discussion on the capital and O and M estimates for the following year. We would come up with a process at that time whereby MLAs would be involved in whatever is happening in their particular constituencies, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome to the Legislative Assembly, students and teachers from the native women's adult education training program.

---Applause

Oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation. On Monday, the Minister told this House that the NWT Power Corporation has been, on an ongoing basis, reviewing their operations since the transfer from the federal government. I would like to ask the Minister if this internal review includes reviewing the cost effectiveness of capital projects delivered since the transfer.

Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, yes, that has been part of their ongoing review on some of the projects that were taken over initially, and the cost that had been attributed to those particular capital projects.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for Education. When the Education Act was written, it was begun in 1971 and was not finished until February of 1976, so I would like to ask the Minister that since a project was begun by Mr. Kakfwi to write a new Education Act, could he tell the House where that process is right now? What is the stage we are at in rewriting the Education Act?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member is aware, the previous Minister solicited information from community members and regional organizations that are

dealing with education. My department has put together a collection of those concerns and we have consolidated them. We have sent them back to the community educational boards and councils to tell the communities, since they are the voices of the regional community boards throughout the Northwest Territories.

What we are trying to do now is to put together an information package so that the communities and the regional boards are informed as to where we are going with our Education Act. We will continue the work that was started by the previous government to see where changes should take place in the Education Act. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Would it then be the intention of the Minister of Education to have this act completely rewritten before we begin looking at a different delivery system for education, so that it could be delivered locally instead of on a regional basis as it is in most cases right now?