Mr. Chairman, in regards to the Northern Leaders' Program, it was important, there were an elite group of people who had to go through a certain process in order to be recommended from the regions. I understand that there is a problem with money currently within the government, that is why they are eliminating it.

That is not the point that I am trying to make. The point that I am trying to make is that, the intent of the program is specific to train people in the management and administration of land claims. The government has given special attention to this group of people so that we can be ready when claims are settled, and have appropriate people in place.

The process that was in place, it was hard to even get on to this program. You had to go through your regional councils, and the whole region had to make a recommendation to the department, to even get accepted. It is only an elite group of people that were eligible for this program. The region is the one that decided who would be the most capable, and the most likely to be a successful person to finish this program, somebody who would come back to the region and work in the region in the area of claims. That was the intent of this whole program. Now if the department is going to eliminate this program, what alternative is there to further their education in the area of claims?

I realize that we have the normal student financial assistance and so forth, but has the department considered giving them special attention or special consideration, or had the department even considered that when they were looking at eliminating this particular program? It is critical, in particular for my region at this point, because we are pursuing regional claims and we have to have people in place.

We have got to start training people now so that we do have adequate people when we do settle our claims. As I indicated, other regions may be pursuing claims and they have got to have their people in place. So, the fact that you are eliminating this program because of money does not jive with me. The amount of money that we were spending on this particular program was benefitting everyone.

I think if the Minister is going to eliminate it this year, you had better start thinking about doing something for those students that we want trained in the area of claims. I certainly am not supporting the department eliminating this Northern Leaders' Program. It has been successful so far, and I am sure that my other colleagues would agree with me.

Another point that I raised, Mr. Chairman, in regards to the Teacher Education Program is that the Minister is indicating that they are going ahead with what has been happening over a number of years, but it has been on a year to year basis. What I had asked of the Minister or of the department, is does the department have long term plans in regard to the Teacher Education Program?

You are doing it on a year to year basis, and I did not hear the Minister saying that, yes, we do have long term plans in regard to this particular program. He has indicated that it is ongoing, but it is on a year to year basis. I want to see a long term plan, and he has not addressed my question that I have raised. Mahsi.