Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member has a suggestion of using seniors for day care programs. Some time ago, a federal program was made available to us, Mr. Speaker, to work seniors and those over the age -- I believe it was 50 to about the age of 60 back into the workforce. We decided that we would advertise that particular program and funding availability for that. A number of school divisions took advantage of that and are employing those individuals within the school system. I believe there is a total of about 17. This is the type of program that communities could look at as a possibility.

For the past year, the funding may have already been committed, but I believe if we approve a budget in the coming year, there may be possibilities next year in that whole area. It is federal transfer money, Mr. Speaker, and I believe it is available for about a two-year period. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we did approve an early childhood development plan several months ago. It is a $2 million program per year to look at the support for young children between the ages of birth and six, by the time they get into school. One of the plans in that was language nests and that could be an area that, certainly if communities felt it appropriate, that seniors, elders and those with language skills could come into the program. We do have and we are encouraging and part of the program is to address the language issue for young children.

I think the Member has a very good point in what he is bringing forward here. We do need to concentrate on this and we do feel that we already have the mechanism. It may need a bit of refining in that area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The plan that was approved some time ago has a number of components to it, Mr. Speaker. As I said, one of the components was the development of a language nest, whereby young children would join their parents and others to look at the language restitution and development, Mr. Speaker. We feel that is the start of a good program in dealing with community problems for young children but additionally it may prove -- naturally, we have to be concerned about the available funding that we have and we have to live within that at the moment. Certainly it can be the start of a concerted program in communities. Thank you

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we already have a commitment, Mr. Speaker, in terms of a great deal of funding going into the Early Childhood Development Plan. That is an area we are moving forward to. In addition to the plan itself, I have asked my officials to do an inventory of individuals and identify the qualifications in communities to handle such areas as day care supervision, other possibilities, Mr. Speaker, and other qualifications in other areas.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the plan at this point in time is for the work on the crossing to take place as soon as the ice is strong enough to hold the equipment. A lot of this depends on the weather, of course, as the Member knows. The department is not expecting there to be any delays other than for the weather. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an issue that I raised with the Minister in the past about equipment to encourage or speed up the process of ice crossing building. I would like to know if his department has had a chance to possibly bring up some equipment that would speed up that process.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department was working on a plan to use spray equipment to speed up the thickness of the crossings. We are working on that plan in relation to the oil and gas industry's demand for early use of the crossings.

The conversations we have had with the oil and gas industry resulted in them saying they did not see a need on their part for an earlier opening of the crossing. However, the department is still considering whether we are going to put that into use anyway. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hope in fact that does proceed, as the cost of living to normal residents is quite high at this time of the year. My question, further to this issue, is the department finding that the weather patterns this winter, for example, will shorten or lengthen the period between when the ferry is pulled out and the crossings put in? Thank you.