I'm not sure what report the honourable Member would want, but I can advise the honourable Member that we've already provided documentation of the process we're trying to use to work on some of the solutions. In fact, Mr. Speaker, the honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake has even taken the time to read the documentation and provide us with advice on some of the issues and probably some solutions. He's already involved and other Members have already received the report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to pose a question to the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education is well aware of the South Slave Divisional Board of Education being in a fairly significant deficit situation.

To the degree that I commend them for attempting to address their debt and different people in the community for taking different initiatives to address some of this debt, it is my understanding the initial debt was incurred because of the amount of funding that was given to the boards, particularly for retirement funding. It appears that there was a shortfall in that particular area.

However, the in excess of a million dollars deficit is quite significant for the communities in the South Slave to be able to address this particular area without having it be a detriment to many of the programs delivered in the schools.

This ratio of funding is being reconsidered, from one to 19, to one to 21; and, the high school, from a one to 16 ratio, to a one to 19 ratio. So, you're having some areas that could possibly impact program delivery.

I would like to know whether or not the Minister's department is going to make every effort in order to assist the South Slave Divisional Board of Education in addressing the deficit situation they are now in.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just advise the honourable Member that we have been working with the South Slave Divisional Board of Education.

Just to advise the Member, the retirement funding is not an issue. We have accepted total responsibility for paying those funds out and it's not a liability that is laid within the budget of the South Slave Divisional Board of Education. We work around that.

There are some other factors, unfortunately, that the honourable Member is aware of and one is that people were carrying on expenditures for the last few years with no authority and really with no accountability, including a recruitment of additional staff that was above and beyond the formula and the dollars that were assigned.

Just to indicate to the honourable Member, we have been meeting with Dr. Walter Curtis and Mrs. Ruth Bowden on a number of occasions. We have tried to work the issue out.

Just to advise the honourable Member, the strategy for reducing the deficit is over a three-year period; however, despite that, there will be significant consequences to the program delivery. But my honourable colleague and I know, at least from our discussions with the South Slave Divisional Board of Education and discussions in this House, that this issue is a long-standing issue. The sad part is that some of the previous leadership did not want to deal with it appropriately and the unfortunate thing is that it is now laid in the hands of the new leadership.

So we are trying to work with them, but I can't in any way suggest to the honourable Member that the issue is going to be easily resolved. But we will consider the concerns the honourable Member has raised.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

The Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, no, the Power Corporation has not secured the Sanikiluaq power station. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the negotiations have been going on over a period of time; however, there is a very large gap between what the Power Corporation feels is a viable amount that would allow the takeover of the power plant and the price that the government feels that they should be reimbursed for their investment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the Power Corporation is still interested in taking over the facility and operating it, owning it and maintaining it. However, the issue is price of assets, and it's still in the interests of the Power Corporation to proceed. However, like I said earlier, there is a wide gap between what the Power Corporation feels is an adequate purchase price and what the government feels is an adequate purchase price. The intent of the Power Corporation is to continue to pursue the takeover of the Sanikiluaq plant. However, until there can be some reconciliation on the margins, the Power Corporation will continue to pursue this; at the same time, I would assume that it is still the responsibility of the Department of Public Works and Services to make sure the power plant continues to operate. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the Power Corporation operates as a company and as a business and has its mandate. They, as a corporation that has to be primarily interested in the ratepayer and what the ratepayer can absorb, make an offer accordingly.

The Power Corporation is also regulated under the Public Utilities Board, which sets some standards on acquisitions and how much can be absorbed over a capital purchase, whether it's new plants or new acquisitions.

So the Power Corporation is operating under its mandate, and I presume that the Department of Public Works and Services, on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, is operating on the basis of the investment that they have put into the Sanikiluaq plant. The matter is in a negotiating process at any time and the interest is there; however, the gap at this point in time appears too wide and it would appear negotiations have to continue so both parties can be treated fairly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ballantyne.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.