Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to report on further developments following the unfortunate fire at the Nanook School in Apex early yesterday morning.

Mr. Speaker, the community is working very hard to keep this school program going. At a community meeting held last night in Apex, parents and the Niaqunguut Education Council expressed their determination to carry on the school program in Apex. Busing students to Iqaluit is completely unacceptable to them and it has been decided that classes will continue in the I.O.D.E. hall until the Christmas break. In the new year, four available houses have been identified in Apex, two of them vacant G.N.W.T. staff houses, which could be utilized as classrooms. The community of Apex is grateful for the generous help which has been received locally from the Department of Public Works and Environmental Health in particular, making sure these houses will be suitable for classes in the new year.

Secondly, Mr. Speaker, the community is determined to work towards building a new school on the site of the old school and I am pleased that the Department of Education, the Divisional Board of Education, officials in the Department of Finance and the risk management section, headquarters D.P.W. are making every effort to move rapidly to assess the situation and begin the planning to replace this very successful community school. If insurance proceeds are available, this may ease the problem of identifying capital money. In any event, Mr. Speaker, I will be seeking the support of the government and the Members of this Assembly to move to deal with this unfortunate situation in my constituency as rapidly as possible. I hope to begin work in the coming fiscal year. Qujannamiik.