My final question to the Minister of Education is can the government table a copy of the conditions for the use of the Canada/Northwest Territories language agreement fund?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not responsible for that particular agreement. However, I will ask the Premier if I may have permission to table that agreement in the House so that Members of the Assembly will have access to it.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ng.

Mr. Ng, that was two questions. Would you like to decide which one you would like to ask? Mr. Ng.

The first one.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, when I first became Premier, I was very concerned about the lapses that were taking place and why they were taking place. Given the importance of languages -- to the aboriginal people particularly -- and we have expressed in discussions in this Legislative

Assembly, there was a need to address how we are going to operate efficiently and ensure that the expenditures, and the planning for these expenditures, take place in an organized fashion so we would not have lapses.

Because the general organization really didn't focus on who was responsible to make sure these expenditures and planning took place adequately, the official languages unit was set up with the seven people you indicated. It was set up, specifically, to monitor the agreement, to make sure we lived up to the commitment and that departments had as much support as possible so that the funds, and the way to spend funds, were monitored and followed through.

I can't tell you whether the individual has been hired. But, from the reporting we have put in place, it appears that this year we will not be lapsing dollars. I feel it was a great concern that we had money and we were not spending it. We took the action to establish the official languages unit, to make sure that we planned with respect to what the agreement says and to make sure that we didn't have to wait until close to the end of the year to find out whether the dollars were spent or not.

It appears to be working. The system seems to be bringing in results and monitoring so that if there are lapses in a certain area we can notify other areas so that funding can perhaps be moved around, rather than waiting until the last minute. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

I just wanted to clarify this, there are two financial people in the languages group? Is that correct?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I don't specifically know whether there is one or two. I will take that question as notice and provide that information.

The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The official languages responsibility has come under the Department of the Executive, -- according to our books -- for some time now. Funds have been allocated in our O and M budget for an official languages agreement. Taking into account there has been a significant amount of funds lapsed for official languages under the Canada/NWT agreement -- particularly with this task -- I would like to ask the Government Leader, when did she and her office become aware of such a surplus of funding?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, could the honourable Member clarify which years she would like me to address?

Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, according to the financial statements on 1992-93 expenditures in this report, they flexed the 1992-93 funds for the official languages. The report of the Languages Commissioner is for the year 1992-93. So, it would be for the end of the 1993 fiscal year. Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I would have to get the exact date on that, but I know it was very late when we were trying to put the information together. I would have to take the question as notice to give the exact date of when we became aware of that specific problem.

The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Mr. Dent, in fairness to the Premier, she did take the question as notice as far as that year. It is fair to ask about the previous year. Madam Premier.