Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I received a package of letters from some grade nine students from Baker Lake from the Jonah Amitnaaq School requesting that they have their school renovation moved up from 2001 to hopefully start in 1998. If I can, Mr. Chairman, I would like to just read one of the letters out of the dozen letters from Bradley Hart, grade nine student, Baker Lake. The Jonah Amitnaaq School needs to be renovated before the year 2000-01. Three years is too long to wait. I am 14 years old and I am in grade nine. I have been going to this school for seven years and spent two years in the other new school. This school needs to be renovated because it is the oldest operating school in the whole of the Northwest Territories. We need a bigger gym and

a water fountain in the gym. Up in the Home Economics room the water does not get hot enough to wash dishes, therefore, it does not kill the germs. We need the library and the art and English classrooms attached to the main school so we do not have to run outside. This school also needs more natural light because the fluorescent lights are too hard to learn with. We need private washrooms and private stalls in the washrooms, so people cannot peek under the stalls. I would like this school to be renovated right away rather than wait for the next three years.

Mr. Speaker, I note that in some areas we are spending $6 million and $7 million on schools and I will have to say that I appreciate the fact that the Minister did spend money in Baker Lake on the other school to have it renovated and it was much appreciated. From this particular school I hear complaints from the students and teachers referring to illegal doors, poor air handling, poor washrooms, poor layouts, some situations where classrooms are right next to the industrial art's classroom and there is too much noise and it makes it difficult for the students to concentrate. What the students and teachers are looking for is to see if it is possible to move this renovation up to next year so that they do not have to wait until 2001. My question to the Minister is, what criteria does his department use to decide which area gets the priority? I know it has been talked about on different occasions, but if the Minister would provide that information to the House I would appreciate it. Thank you.