Also, Mr. Chairman, the Minister, Don Morin, made a statement with regard to telephone services and he referred specifically to the new communication systems for the schools. He said that all Northwest Territories schools would be able to use computers to send messages to each other. I would like to ask about the status of that.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We are working on a system in the Baffin. It is already set up and we're working to set it up in every other region in every school throughout the Northwest Territories.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Gargan, would you try again? I didn't hear anything. Mr. Gargan.

I'm asking if this communication system would only be established in communities where there is a communication link?

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, at the present time.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Personally, I think the leadership program that has been going on in Fort Smith for a number of years now is a good program. We need something like that to try to get the students who are interested in achieving high standards involved. The communities are also striving for that. I think this type of leadership program is good and it is available right now. I know that last year we talked about it and the year before that. There seems to be a move by the department to try to eliminate the program.

Personally, I think this government and the Legislative Assembly, should commit ourselves to a long-term commitment to that program. I understand it is very successful. There are more positive than negative things with it. I'm told that there is a possibility that the federal government might donate about $30,000 to $35,000 to the program. As well, there is a foundation that might donate a substantial amount of money to sponsor this program as well. With outside money coming in, I think this department and this government should commit itself to a long-term plan to support this program rather than doing away with it.

I know some students who are in the program and they really enjoy it. They get a lot out of it and there are other students who want to be in it. However, at the present time, no new students are being taken in. Only the students who are already in the program will be there until they are finished their schooling and then this program seems to be winding down. It seems to be a very successful program and we should support success like that. We are striving for excellence and we passed a motion on that in the House. This is one way of showing that we support excellence.

I would just like to ask the Minister, there was a review done recently, last year perhaps, and I would like the review to be made available to Members of this Legislative Assembly so that we can see for ourselves how the program has done and make a decision based on that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Qujannamiik. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have not had an opportunity to take the report to the Cabinet. I think it is incumbent upon the Cabinet to have a say in the final decision about which direction we take with that program or any additional programs that might be considered. I would remind Members that when we make a decision of this particular type, there has to be a certain amount of fairness in terms of how we deal with other potential programs. With great respect, we have not yet dealt with the whole matter of how we're going to support a program of this kind for the Inuit communities. You can't make a decision in isolation on that.

I agree with the Members when they talk about supporting excellence in programs, but the fact is, the present criteria doesn't require students to have excellence in terms of their marks for entering the program. If that is what you want, then we have to establish the criteria so that an excellence program is there for those students who want to fit into that program and can access that program. Right now and previously, in my view at least, the selection was more political than actual criteria-based. I want to get out of that business. I support the comment that has been made by the honourable Member, that people who qualify for the program should have earned their way there. I would like the whole matter to be reviewed by Cabinet. I don't intend to make any decisions in isolation of my Cabinet colleagues and once I know what direction they want me to take, then obviously, I'll be prepared to be more specific about the direction. That is the issue that has to be addressed in making final decisions about the program.

The other thing is, the present dollars which have been allocated are only enough to carry the students who are presently in it. If we're to add more, it would mean that we would need more resources for that program. You have to consider that as well. That is all part of the decision that has to be made in the end by our Cabinet.

Thank you. Educational development. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to add to my comments on the leadership school in Fort Smith. The present position of this government of not taking on any more new students creates a feeling of uncertainty from year to year. It affects everybody, especially the students and the parents. It creates doubt among the politicians in this government. There is an uncertainty that is sitting over all of us here. I don't like to be involved in a decision that creates doubt and uncertainty in the communities where a program is successful and there is hesitancy to have a long-term commitment to continue that success.

I just wanted to urge the department and the Minister to provide that report to the Cabinet and make a recommendation that there is a long-term commitment to support this program. That is my suggestion, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you. The honourable Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't want people to get an idea that somehow this is something new. The costs that we are talking about are primarily for the residence itself and the students living in the residence. It is not a new program. It is all tied to the existing educational programming that is offered in our high school. The fact is, if our students are being more successful because of the program being offered, then maybe, as a result, we have to review what is being offered in our other high schools to make certain that other students get the same kind of programming.

That is a point that was made by the standing committee, that we have to improve the quality of educational programming. Maybe it is something we have to learn from and support in other communities as well.

Thank you. Educational development. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, yesterday the Minister, in responding to Mr. Dent's question regarding the reduction in their budget, said that the Arctic College had a $4 million surplus and even if they took that back, they would still have an adjustment of about a $3 million surplus. I would like to ask the Minister, if the leadership program is based on political decisions, what is the Minister's feeling with regard to allowing the Arctic College to develop that program, seeing as they do have surplus money to do it? Arctic College is just not in the western college, it is in both east and west and all the regions are involved in it. Would it be possible for the program to continue, maybe not as a ministerial initiative but Arctic College-driven?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you. We could always examine that option. However, Arctic College is generally responsible for post-secondary or adult programming. So, in that sense, it is different. The students we are referring to here are generally high school students from grade ten to grade 12. I think there are two different programs that maybe the honourable Member is considering.

The honourable Member for Deh Cho.

Maybe, instead of calling it the northern leadership training program, we could look at calling it political science or something. Then it would fit into the programs.

Thank you. I don't think that was a question, just a suggestion by the honourable Member. Would you like to respond to that?