I have a return to a question asked by Mr. Gargan on February 14, 1992 regarding funding for teachers' conferences at a time of restraint. On February 13th and 14th, 1992 a teachers' conference was held in Yellowknife. Teachers from all divisional boards of education except the Kitikmeot board attended the conference, along with teachers from Yellowknife Districts No. 1 and No. 2 as well as the Board of Secondary Education for Sir John Franklin Territorial High School.

This conference, Mr. Speaker, was funded through the professional development fund provided for by the collective agreement for the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association. The professional development fund consists of two and a quarter per cent of the gross basic salary of teachers. The Department of Education and participating boards did not contribute any additional funding for teachers to attend this conference. Funding for travel and accommodation for individual teachers to attend the conference was provided by a combination of professional development funding as well as funding provided by each participant. Thank you.