(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends) One question which I am told is not now resolved and is under dispute between the Department of Education, Arctic College and the divisional boards is who pays the fees which are required to be paid every year for the students from Cape Dorset, Cambridge Bay and Coral Harbour. These fees will amount to $150,000 this year. Right now, a I understand it, the Department of Education officials are still refusing to pay for these fees for 1995-96. The college and the boards are also waiting for an answer about whether the department will be paying these fees for 1996-97. In other words, once again, on an important part of the community-based TEP program, we do not know whether or not the Department of Education will continue the level of support it provided in previous years, by paying the McGill students' costly tuition fees.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that everyone who has studied this program would agree that it has been a great success. The link which has been established between Nunavut Arctic College and the first-class Department of Education in McGill University, which has a very good reputation across Canada, has produced good results. Since 1985, a total of 57 teachers from Nunavut have completed their Bachelor of Education degrees. This compares with 35 students who have received Bachelor of Education degrees since 1969
from the TEP program in the Aurora College, which is connected to the University of Saskatchewan.
The answers to all these questions -- forced growth, student counsellor positions, tuition fees and base funding for community-based TEP programs -- will very much affect the ability of the divisional boards to do their jobs. I would like the Minister of Education to tell us where he stands on these currently outstanding issues before we finally approve the budget of this department. We should know exactly what is provided for in this budget and what is not.
Mr. Speaker, these are some of my concerns with this budget. I will hope that these comments in my reply to the Budget Address will be well received by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Education. I am hope my concerns are clearly explained and that they can be dealt with during this session or soon after. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
--- Applause