Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I will just quickly reference some of the areas that the honourable Member has made comments upon. I would like to state that we will do our best to get more detailed information on the pupil-teacher ratios as they applied in previous years. It may be difficult to go back to the 1971 era, but certainly we will try and get them as far back as we can. I know that I looked at some statistics the other day and they did date back, I believe, to the 1990 era. We will do our best in order to get those.

The Member has appropriately stated that yes, in previous times, class sizes may have been larger. The change, of course, that is upon us is the recognition that there are a tremendous amount of needs within a classroom, students with special needs, and those are areas that require assistance. Hence the reason for us to address the pupil-teacher ratio, because if we can bring that down, classroom teachers find it more manageable to conduct classes with some efficiency. It does become difficult because of the numbers of students in a class, and especially if the number of students are students who require individual education programs, for example. That raises some concerns.

On the Literacy Strategy and measurable outcomes, the Member also referred to various courses that are in the school system. In the math area, I will perhaps just make reference to that. We do have more than one pathway now. We have approximately four pathways, but the reasons are because of potential dropout of students if we do not offer that opportunity. I understand what the Member is saying, that there can be concerns expressed, can they then go back and upgrade themselves, and will those courses that they have taken be applicable to upgrade? In other words, if they want to go into apprenticeships, will the courses be applicable for that? We feel that the math programs that have been designed, with the exception of one perhaps, gear them to the appropriate ability to upgrade themselves in the future.

Trades is an area, Mr. Chairman, that is becoming extremely important and it should have always been one of importance for us here in the Territories, and should be elsewhere, too, simply because there is a tremendous opportunity out there for our population in that area. It is even on a national basis. There are shortcomings in the trades.

In the income support area, we did experience an opportunity to save funding there, although we did not cut back on the programs. This is happening because of improved employment by individuals. There are more and more individuals receiving employment in the Territories, and it is showing within our program on income support.

Yes, there are definitely side effects to economic development. We are cognizant of that. We are not treating this as a cutback to support for individuals by any means. We are looking at improving the food basket rates for individuals. We have also improved, in the course of it, some funding for the disabled. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.