Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, we are aware of the situation. We have signed a tripartite agreement with Social Services and Health and the matter of providing services to those with specialized needs is one of the matters that is going to be addressed in the discussions between the departments.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have received information that the tripartite committee was supposed to finish its work by the end of February. Is this agreement the result of the meeting of the tripartite committee?

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That is one of them, but the honourable Member should know that there are a number of other issues that we are required to address, not only the matter of specialized services, for example for the hearing impaired. Speech therapy is another of the issues. The question of psychological analysis assessments is another. Those are a number of the issues that we really need to address. We realize they are important and, as such, we are trying to develop a method by which we can respond to the needs of our students.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Several parents, in this city anyway, have missed this service for over a year now and many of the students are suffering. I would like to ask the Minister, does he have any kind of time line or date by which he can tell us this issue will be resolved to the benefit of those children?

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. I'm hoping we can have most of it resolved by the beginning of the new school year. However, the honourable Member should be aware that it is a tripartite arrangement and we require a working arrangement with Health and Social Services in order for us to do the best we can. It is a major concern for us from a program delivery perspective and we understand and appreciate the concerns that the parents have and have tried to respond as quickly as possible.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the honourable Minister of Social Services. Madam Speaker, a few days ago, a young mother came to Yellowknife, medevaced from Pelly Bay. She was in labour. Subsequently, she gave birth to a premature baby at Stanton Hospital. We all know it is very painful giving birth to a child, especially when the child is not alive at birth. What is more painful, which occurred at the airport yesterday, was two people witnessed the mother carrying her little lifeless baby in the coffin. I don't think this is acceptable to anyone, anywhere, at least it is not acceptable in my society. Madam Speaker, the next incident that took place is even more shocking. One of the bystanders asked another bystander if the mother was carrying a fish in the box. Thank God, the mother never heard the question. My question to the honourable Minister is, what is the department's policy when a mother goes to another place, gives birth to a child and the child is not alive, how does the department look after the transportation of a dead child? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The present policy of Social Services, as it stands, is when the patient goes out of their community and if that patient happens to pass away, then Social Services is responsible for transportation costs of the deceased body. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Is it the policy of the Department of Social Services that the mother is to carry a lifeless little body in a coffin to her community from the medical centre? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. If the answer is no, will the Minister ensure that this incident doesn't happen again in this system? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will make sure that this kind of incident doesn't happen again and I will work with my colleague, Mr. Pollard, to see what has happened. Whether there was miscommunication between Stanton Hospital and my department. If there was miscommunication, then I don't think my department is aware of it. We are aware of it now, and we will inform Mr. Ningark what happened and take it from there. Thank you.