Question.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Just some clarification on 69.(2)(e), perform the prescribed duties relating to monitoring home school programs. I thought those were the duties of the superintendent, or is it still the principal? I would just like some clarification. If we go back to home schooling and the relationship of a principal to a home school program, I thought we removed that responsibility.

Thank you, that's fine, Mr. Chairman. I'll just respond to the honourable Member and I'll deal with the amendment later.

The matter that is before you is that we wanted to ensure that the home schooling programs were managed in the communities in which they were delivered. The superintendents are not in every community, and we wanted to, through regulations, determine the responsibility they had in monitoring home school situations and programming. That was the intent. It's in conjunction with the board, but the board has to be involved in the home school programs as well as terms in determining the program.

I would like to go to section (2)(1), in accordance with the Minister to establish guidelines. Under section 23, we give the authority to the principal to set the criteria for selecting the student. Now why are we giving it to the Minister here. Just for clarification.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is the matter of the principals and the acting principal and teacher in accordance with policy direction, so there's a consistent approach generally across the Northwest Territories. Where it says "in accordance with directions," generally means in accordance with policies that have been set. That is the basis on which this should be interpreted.

I'm still confused because 23 says "in accordance with the guidelines established by the principal," then section 69.(2)(1) says, "in accordance with directions of the Minister, establish guidelines." So I want to be really clear here. Who establishes the guidelines to select the student representative, the Minister or the principal?

Thank you. Very simply, the students are guided by the principal and the principal is guided by the Minister. We have to lay some general rules by which this process is used. Then there is also the school basis on which this process is laid out. That's how it works.

I don't know if the honourable Members know but in management, there's a hierarchy responsibility of giving overall direction. How that is done is it is applied by each school depending on that situation.

I know a little bit about management. Where do superintendents come in then? II the Minister is giving direction to the principals, where do the superintendents come in?

Thank you. I don't want to debate with the honourable Member. If one understood this issue, it would be clear. This is a matter where the Minister gives overall guidelines; in other words, overall direction. From there, it goes to the superintendent and then to the schools. Each school has a different situation and as a result of that, they have to make their choices about representation. Some schools may determine that their representation...Inuvik, for instance, may determine that their representation should come from grade 10 to 12, not grade 9, but grade 10 to 12. We may determine, as has been the case here, that grade 9, 10, 11 and 12 should be the considered range.

In that, it could be that the policy in the school, then, is that someone would be selected in grade 9 in Fort McPherson rather than grade 10. That's a matter of choice that the school would make. There's a general parameter that we're now offering and that's part of the guidelines.

Yes, I have no problem with that. I was just trying to clarity the Minister's previous statement where he said the authority came from the Minister to the principal, and I think there's a superintendent that fits in the middle there somewhere. I just want to correct the record.