Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Members are reminded that sometimes questions like that are best answered if they would refer to the manual they have.

-- Laughter

I think there is a couple missing in there, but I will allow that reply. If I was a school teacher though...supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Jake Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Nitah is certainly very concerned about aboriginal languages and I respect that. I think that we are all very concerned about the preservation of languages here in the Northwest Territories.

As I mentioned earlier, there is a tremendous deterioration of languages. I think we are working on this as we go, so to speak. The funding for this particular program is done through the Canada Northwest Territories Cooperation Agreement. As I mentioned earlier, it is a five-year program with some $17.5 million, but it is partially set by criteria of the federal government based on a national formula for French.

We negotiated as much as we can for the territorial government and the agreement was signed on January 6, 2000, as I mentioned earlier.

As well, I should mention that we do have $1.8 million for school programs. That is in addition to the $1.9 million that we, as a territorial government, dedicated to the preservation, encouragement and resurrection of languages. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary. The Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. There were four questions in there. I think some of those would probably be better as written questions, but I will allow the Minister to respond to one of those questions as he chooses. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, the Honourable Jake Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to take that question as notice because I do not have the details of all the questions that the Member asked. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. The Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two written questions.

The first one is to the Minister of Health and Social Services in regards to the nurses' supplement. The Minister is requested to provide the following information related to the $3 million nurses' pay supplement offered in 1999:

• • The total amount of the supplement received by nurses by health board;
• • The total number of nurses who received the supplement by health board;
• • The total amount of the $3 million that was retained by the department or other government departments for administration or other uses; and
• • A comparison of nurse turnover by board for the past few years including 1999.

Mr. Speaker, the second question is directed to the Minister of Justice in regards to the probation and parole service. In the fall of 1998, the government approved a new probation and parole service. The Minister of Justice is requested to provide the following:

• • The implementation plan, including timelines for the new probation and parole service;
• • A list of probation parole positions by community; and
• • An indication of which positions have been filled and whether by open competition or by direct appointment.

The Minister is also requested to identify, for each filled position, whether the appointee was previously a Government of the Northwest Territories employee and the affirmative action status of each appointee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to the opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Handley.

As well, I wish to table the following report entitled Public Service Annual Report 1996 and 1997. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 13, tabling of documents. The Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a letter signed by Brian Armstrong from the Northwest Territories Students' Coalition addressed to the Honourable Jake Ootes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 13, tabling of documents. The Honourable Jane Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Terms and References of the Child and Family Services Review Contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The Honourable Joe Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 25th, 2000, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that the Legislative Assembly fix the date of June 30, 2000 for the tabling of the Public Accounts of the Northwest Territories for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 1999.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. The Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I request unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

The Member for Thebacha is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Miltenberger, you have unanimous consent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have the honour of recognizing in the gallery the chief from the Smith's Landing First Nation of Alberta, who are within days of finalizing their land claim. I am very glad to see him here today and I would like to acknowledge his presence. Thank you.

-- Applause