During the review of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs, the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development noted a proposed $1,000,000 expenditure for a combined National Aboriginal Day celebration and pre-celebration events coordinated under the Living History Project. The committee had a number of concerns about this project and brought them to the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight for review.

One of the first problems faced by the committee was a lack of documentation from the society outlining their plans and funding needs. In the absence of such documentation, committee members were unable to ascertain the true value of this project and its need for half a million dollars.

Members also noted that funding for National Aboriginal Day celebrations and the Living History Project were combined in the budget of the ministry, making it difficult to understand funding arrangements between the two. The committee recommended to the department that they split the two projects into separate line items. The department agreed to this request.

Members of the committee were concerned that the funding of one newly formed society for half a million dollars may set an inappropriate precedent for other non-profit agencies approaching the government and expecting similar funding. Members would also like to be assured that the organization has sought funding from other sources and that funding from the GNWT will not be ongoing.

The committee was also confused by the placement of this society's application for funding within the domain of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. It is the committee's understanding that most cultural and historical organizations are funded through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Due to these significant concerns, the committee recommended this issue for consideration to the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight.

As a result of both committees' comments on this issue, the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development is aware that there have been significant alterations to the funding proposal on behalf of the Living History Project.

The committee looks forward to addressing these changes during the review of the government's main estimates in the House.

Mr. Speaker, that concludes the introductory portion of the report of the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development on the Review of the 2002-2003 Main Estimates. Therefore,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that Committee Report 2-14(5), be received by the Legislative Assembly and moved into committee of the whole for consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? Thank you. All those opposed? No opposition, therefore the motion is carried. The Chair recognizes the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 2-14(5) moved into committee of the whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4). Are there any nays? There are no nays, therefore Committee Report 2-14(5) is moved into committee of the whole for today. Thank you.

Item 5, reports of standing and special committees. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? Thank you. All those opposed? No opposition, therefore the motion is carried. The Chair recognizes the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4) and have Committee Report 3-14(5) moved into committee of the whole for today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The Member is seeking unanimous consent to waive Rule 93(4). Are there any nays? There are no nays, therefore Committee Report 3-14(5) is moved into committee of the whole for today. Thank you.

Item 5, reports of standing and special committees. Item 6, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, yesterday we heard that $1 million would be included in the budget to increase day care support funding. The budget speech noted that this was intended to remove barriers to affordable childcare faced by low-income northern families.

Could the Minister tell us how this $1 million will be spent? Specifically, how much will the per diem O and M contribution to operators increase?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the $1 million will be divided up into two areas. One is for contributions to day cares. That is start up funding and operating funding. That is $780,000.

The $220,000 will be used to increase subsidies to provide for income support and low-income earners. It will be added to provide day care services for the summertime and after hours for those who work shift work, if that is available. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister advise us what the per diem rate will increase to? What is it now and what it will increase to on the O and M side, the $780,000? Thank you.

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

Yes, Mr. Speaker, it will change. For example, for a preschool space, I will use Yellowknife as an example -- we have other communities where it is higher -- Yellowknife is $5.00 for preschool. That will go to $8.00. Infant space is $7.50 and that will go to $12.00. Space for after school is $1.25 and that will go to $2.00.

Other areas are community-based. I will give an example here of $8.00 to $12.80 and for preschool and infant space from $12.00 to $19.20 and after school $2.00 to $3.20, depending upon the community, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This sounds like they are fairly substantial increases and I commend the Minister on this change. Will the methodology of payment change? It has been a substantial problem for operators in that they are only paid on days the child attends. So if a child is sick, they do not get paid for it and that has created a significant amount of problems for them. Will that methodology be changed? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is still an outstanding issue which is more an administrative issue. I have not concluded that yet. It has been brought to my attention as an area of concern and I have not yet finalized that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to advising this House before the end of this current sitting the resolution to this issue that he proposes to take? Thank you.

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

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would be pleased to do so. I also committed two days ago to some other areas with day cares that I will follow up on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.