Thank you. We will now move on to Mr. Dent. May I ask for some order to start with. Thank you. Before we proceed, could we all agree that we will try to keep our preambles down? Agreed? Thank you. I have for starters on my list, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. There was no question there. Do you have a question number two? I will move on to Mr. Krutko. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question to Mr. Dent is in regard to curriculum development especially in the communities. In that there are a lot of aboriginal communities that want to develop a curriculum around either the tradition and culture of the people or even the life skills for students who would realize that there is an opportunity there in regard to on the land skills, developing a curriculum in the communities so that they can be able to understand the whole life style of trapping, hunting, fishing, gun safety, and also regulations dealing with hunting, trapping and fishing. To be able to implement it into the education system in the schools so that there has to be more of a....

Could I have some order so the Member is allowed to speak. Your side conversations are coming in on the microphones. Thank you. Mr. Krutko.

My question to the Minister is if they can streamline the abilities of communities to develop curriculum for schools in regard to the particular culture that may associate, especially in regard to my riding. Presently there is a lot of push to develop such curriculum for the education system because of the claims being settled, the institutions that are being developed, especially in regard to the land and water boards, the land use planning boards, the environmental assessment groups. They want to educate the students so they realize the opportunities that flow from claims and also from the land that is valuable resource that they should direct their education in those particular fields. I would like to ask the Minister what is the easiest method or process to get these activities in place and develop curriculum for the schools within my riding?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Dent

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning. The schools in the Northwest Territories are an early example of community empowerment. In fact, communities are encouraged to take significant control in what happens in the schools. Therefore, developing the sort of program within the school that the Member has talked about is quite possible. Many of the aspects of the programs he talks about, in terms of traditional life skills or land claims knowledge, could be worked into current school programs. If the local DEA works with the school staff to ensure that through programs like the CTS modules or the social studies course and using, the Dene Kede curriculum, these aspects are worked into the regular program during the school year.

If the Member feels, and the community feels, that it is essential to have a separate curriculum, that too can be accomplished. We have had one example of a divisional educational council developing a specific land skills program or curriculum. That was in the Kitikmeot. A fox-trapping curriculum was developed. With that program, the divisional educational council took the lead to develop the curriculum. They were supported by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as well as the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. So the first step if the community is interested in that kind of curriculum, is for the community to discuss the issue with the divisional education council. If a way cannot be found to work the program into the current curriculum and the divisional educational council is prepared to take the lead, I am sure we can find some way to support them to develop a specific curriculum.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Questions for the Minister. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My next question is in regard to the outstanding issue of the Chief Julius School and the outstanding bill regarding the gymnasium. We have spent a lot of time talking about it. I have raised this question several times. I would like to ask the Minister if the arrangement that was made with himself, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs and the Minister of Finance, about finding arrangements so that we can possibly use some capital dollars that are presently in the municipalities budget in regard to capital and moving that to offset the bill for the monies that are still owed on the gymnasium. Is that offer still available to the community of Fort McPherson?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I cannot speak for the other two Ministers involved. The arrangement the Member referred to was one in which, I believe, Municipal and Community Affairs had a piece of heavy equipment that was included in the capital plan for the community and the community had the option of choosing to redirect the funds into an expanded gym. I understand the community did not agree to that. I would say that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment does not have anything in the plan that I am aware of that could be moved around. I am also not aware if Municipal and Community Affairs, does and I would encourage the Member to discuss the issue with the Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs. I cannot make any commitment on her behalf. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The other area in regard to education is the whole area of treaty rights and program rights in regard to the delivery of programs and services and the accessibility of those programs to treaty Indians who are registered, members of particular bands especially in the Northwest Territories. This question seems to be a real problem when it comes to student loans and students who are attending school in southern Canada. They seem to have a real problem when it comes to funding, especially in regard to the aboriginal student. Where they seem to be left hanging out there like a lost tribe where they do not really associate with anybody. But yet, they are registered Indians on a particular list, especially in the bands in the Northwest Territories. It seems like it is an outstanding problem that seems to keep coming up, but it seems like at the end of the day we are talking about educating our people, it does not matter where they live, but limiting a resource which is being a member of a band to strive as far as they can in regard to getting the best education they can and being able to come home and assist the communities they come from. I

would like to ask the Minister, has he made any endeavours into trying to resolve this treaty question with the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs or the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs to try to find a way to deal with this outstanding question? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Student Financial Assistance Program is designed to support residents of the NWT. The program does not have specific allocations for bands. The rules stipulate that it is to be provided to Northwest Territories' residents. When the problem first arose, the Department went to Indian Affairs and Northern Development and did conclude an agreement with them that would allow students who were living in the south to be processed through DIAND. The answer to the Member's question is yes, we do have an agreement with DIAND to make sure that students who are not resident in the Northwest Territories are handled by the DIAND process in southern Canada.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question is in regard to the other area that you hold in your portfolio, that of income support. One of the things that we seem to see, especially in a lot of the small communities, is the amount of resources that they do get to carry out this program in the communities where you try to attract good people to assist and carry out programs and services in the communities on behalf of this government. But it seems as if you are either getting half-time positions or you do not have enough resources to attract people to a full-time position. I think that we have to make an effort in order to generate income through programs such as income support to ensure that adequate funding is given to the communities when they do take on these endeavours on behalf of the government and that you track good people and pay them a good wage and also that you place them as full-time positions, not half-time. I think it is one of the problems we are starting to see in the communities when we talk about community empowerment that we try to empower communities, but we limit the amount of resources that we do allow them to carry out these activities. I think that we have to somehow increase those amounts so that it is sufficient and that programs are successful. I would like to ask the Minister what is being done to ensure there are adequate resources when we allocate programs and services to be carried out in communities by communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. That was your fourth question. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. I now recognize Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Henry. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have committed to the Standing Committee on Social Programs that I will have that report for them at our next meeting. I am not sure exactly when that is going to be, but I will table it sometime after that. Depending on what the timing is for this House, I may find a way to make the report public before I have a chance to table it. I would expect this should all take place in the next four to five weeks.