Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To start the session off today, I would like to discuss several education issues that I have had some dealings with and time to think about. First, I would like to acknowledge some good work on the part of the Department of Education, especially in the area of summer student hiring.
The program this year, Mr. Speaker, is certainly night and day from past years. The website was a great idea. I think there are still some wrinkles to be ironed out, as is to be expected with any new program, but I believe the department is doing good work in this area. I would like to applaud the Minister for his work.
I do have some concerns with, as Mr. Dent has already raised, the issue of the Canadian average PTR. We are still funding at a much lower rate than the rest of Canada on average and certainly, as he has indicated, much lower than other rural and northern areas. I think this is something we need to target and move closer toward. We have put some additional money into this recently, but I feel we are not really running through the finish line, Mr. Speaker. We are sort of putting a toe on it and saying, "Well, there we are. We have complied with legislation."
Another issue I would like to raise is a concern I have with the Memorandum of Understanding that our Premier signed with the NWTTA in January of 2000. It indicated that we are going to spend approximately $4.6 million in 2000-2001 incrementally for student support and PTR. The actuals, Mr. Speaker, sad to say, are $2.8 million. I am concerned about what I consider to be an issue of a missing $1.8 million that should have been put into PTR and student support funding, Mr. Speaker.
As well, I think a lot of constituents have raised concerns with the Education Act and the fact that they do not believe it speaks to averages. It seems to be education-body specific. I think any reasonable person who reads the act would assume that, Mr. Speaker. I do not believe our funding formula is complying with the legislation.
I have several concerns that I intend to raise with the Minister and will be doing so today and going forward. Thank you.
-- Applause