Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too would like to speak on a topic that was referenced by Mr. Bell and Mr. Miltenberger, student financial assistance. When we were reviewing the budgets and business plans, we met with the Minister earlier this year during the interim, and talked about the transition to the new plan. At the time, the Minister told us the department would grandfather students who were in the system. We thought this meant we would be looking after students who need grandfathering and students who needed transition.

Mr. Speaker, I have just consulted Webster's Ninth Collegiate Dictionary. In there, it says a grandfather clause is "a clause creating an exemption based on circumstances previously existing." I understand this to mean, Mr. Speaker, that no one should be penalized when new rules are brought in.

Mr. Speaker, I have met with a number of students in the past few weeks. One student told me how she went to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment last fall and was told she would qualify for four semesters of grants. Based on that, she went back to university this January. Four months later, she was told "Whoops! You no longer qualify for grants under the new program. You only have access to repayable loans."

Mr. Speaker, I do not think that is our understanding of grandfathering. Under grandfathering, I think our committee believes that somebody should have been allowed to carry on under the old rules if they were more beneficial to them. They should not be penalized by the institution of the new rules.

I would like to comment, as Mr. Miltenberger mentioned, on the manual for student financial assistance. I think it almost takes four years of university to understand that manual. I do not know how people from the smaller communities, who may not have access to all of the resources of the department, will be able to complete the student application.

I think that needs to be simplified, and that this department needs to take a look at transition. As Mr. Bell said, let us reward success. We want to encourage Northerners to come back here successfully. We should see a transition that allows students who have completed their four semesters to carry on and get two more years of school. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Antoine. There is a lot happening in your riding. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery.

Before I go to the floor, I would like to recognize a former colleague, Mr. Richard Nerysoo, who is a former MLA. He is a former Minister, Government Leader and Speaker. Now, he is the president of the Gwich'in Tribal Council. Please join me in welcoming Mr. Nerysoo to our gallery.

-- Applause

It is sort of like jewels in the crown, is it not?

-- Laughter

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to have this opportunity to recognize a constituent who happens to be a member of the Economic Strategy Panel, who just tabled their final report today, Mr. Jake Herron, the superintendent of MACA. He has a long, storied career with the government. He is a local Metis boy who has done very well, and he is a pretty fine golfer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize four members of the Economic Strategy Panel that are with us here today. Richard Nerysoo, who represents the Gwich'in Development Council on the panel. Vi Beck, who represents the NWT Council for the Status of Women on the panel. Jake Herron, representing the Northwest Territories Metis Nation, and Alphonsine McNeely, representing the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories. Welcome.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a young lady in the gallery, my constituency assistant from Hay River, who has come over to try and help me sort out the masses of paper we are getting in the last few days, Debra Paulo.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you, Members. Everyone is certainly welcome to the Assembly. Thank you for coming to participate with us. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as in my Member's statement, I would like to try to get more information from the Minister responsible for Finance or the Financial Management Board Secretariat, on the situation with the Inuvik Hospital. Initially, the hospital was designated as a P3 project, or a public-private partnership. It has been changed. I know the reins of control have shifted back to the department.

I would like to know what is happening with the financing of the hospital and the incoming dollars from the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to the Member a few times about this project. I will say that on May 18th, we announced the project would not be proceeding as a P3 project because it was deemed to not have met the government's requirements.

Since that time, we continue to look at ways we can ensure this project stays on schedule. I can assure the Member we are open-minded to that. We do have limited resources. We have a limited capital budget. We have these projects, and it is important that they do proceed.

Right now, I can tell you we are open. At present, the schedule, if it continues to be a government/delivered program, would be that construction would begin in the summer of 2001, with occupancy happening in the summer or fall of 2003. I think this is within the parameters that were provided to us by the proponent putting forward the P3 project.

The federal money that is going toward this project continues to be available and dedicated to this project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister state the total amount we have received, or will receive, from the federal government for this project? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I do not know the exact amount, but my understanding is there was $16 million. However, there may have been another piece of money that is also to be added to that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe the Minister refers to the new dollars that are coming into this government. What about the dollars since the agreement was signed back in 1988? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.