Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize a beautiful elder from my home community of Fort McPherson who has been an inspiration and a light of hope for myself and also supportive in keeping me in line, making sure that I do my job to the best of my ability and someone I refer to as mom. I would like to recognize Rosie Firth of Fort McPherson.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have no information available at my desk to respond to the question. I will unfortunately, have to take it as notice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is addressed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It is in regard to the Management Studies Cooperative Program. Could the Minister indicate and elaborate on the type of businesses involved in this type of cooperative program and the work experience students would be expected to obtain.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, most businesses and government departments could take advantage of this program. As I understand it, there have been 25 verbal commitments to take on students from the Management Studies Program with about half of those being from government departments, the others being from the private sector. The private sector could be anything from Northern Stores to any other business that would have a suitable opening. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister indicate whether the length of the program has changed as a result of adding the work experience component or are they given adequate credits so that the length of program still stays the same? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the program is now set up so the student has an option of completing the entire program in two years on campus or spending three years in the program. Two of the six semesters would then be completed with the student working for an employer and earning some money along the way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister indicate what the enrolment is? What indications of interest have you had from students? It sounds like the business community is buying in. Is there a strong interest from the student population? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The interest among the business community and government departments has been very good, very positive. We are hoping to find placements for 30 students. We have, as I said, verbal commitments for 25. It would appear that we are well on the way to achieving the goal. I believe there are approximately 17 students enroled in the first year and 21 students enroled in the second year of the program. As I understand it, Mr. Speaker, the first-year students will be given priority for the choice of jobs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of there being a severe shortage of teachers in Pangnirtung. I do not know that the situation there is any different than in other communities. As I informed the Member in response to an earlier question, the department

does keep back some money from the formula grants to ensure that following the October 31st official school population numbers, the grants do reflect the number of the students enroled. As well, schools that have exceeded their projected enrolment by, I believe it is six or eight percent, Mr. Speaker, are entitled to apply to the department for extra funding to compensate for that fact. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.