Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today goes to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In the budget address that was presented earlier this session, on page 17, it speaks about the extra money that is being made available for student support funding, which will be increased to 15 percent of school contributions. May I ask the Minister how the department sees this extra money being spent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There were two aspects to the funding increases for school support. One was for the pupil-teacher ratio, and we are on target with that at 16.5:1. We brought it down from 18:1. Next year it will go to 16:1. Additionally, we decided we would increase funding for student support. That would increase from 8 percent to 15 percent. That is being done this year to increase to 15 percent. That is support in the classroom for special needs and student support areas. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Specifically to the increased funding for student support money, may I ask the Minister as to whether or not there were any guidelines, accountability frameworks, any standards the department is giving to the local school boards as to how this money is being spent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have an accountability framework in place, whereby reports are done at the end of the year. School boards report back to the department on the expenditure base and where the funding was expended.

Ahead of time, we have made it clear to the school boards that the funding is necessary to bring down the PTR. It is very measurable and the funding for student support be directly targeted at student support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is it possible for us to have a copy of the accountability framework the department is giving to school boards as to how this money should be spent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We can certainly provide the Member with the areas of accountability that we require from school boards in return for the funding that we provide them. I would be glad to pass that on to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the same time, is there a policy or guidelines that the school boards should have with respect to how they propose to spend this money? If so, could I get a copy of that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We will certainly provide the Member with any areas of guidelines and instructions that we forward on to school boards with respect to funding that we provide; formula funding, special funding and so forth. We will be glad to turn that over and supply it to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services and it is in regard to the Child and Family Services Act and child apprehension. I see it as getting out of hand. Something has to be done to rein them in. I do not see why, in this day and age, we have the child protection officer along with the RCMP going into our hospitals and apprehending newborns, not even allowing the mother to bond with her newborn child.

For me, that is inhumane and emotionally stressful on the mother, the family and the community. I would like to know from the Minister, as First Nations governments are supposed to be consulted in apprehensions that are taking place, is he aware of this practice and what is he doing about it?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member made me aware of this issue yesterday in the Members' lounge. I am having it checked into. I understand there were two cases where there were apprehensions at birth last year, one in consultation with the mother with a plan of care agreement to reunite the mother with the child as soon as possible.

My colleague makes reference to some very specific facts that I am not aware of or have not been privilege to in regard to police and the way hospital apprehensions may have been done. I am not in a position to comment on that. I will check but I do not have that kind of information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Child and Family Services Act, it clearly allows for a process to take place between the social worker or child protection officer, the parent and some sort of a working group or working committee within our communities to work out and try to find solutions to the problems, so the children do not have to leave their homes.

I would like to ask the Minister, could he check and see if that is being done at this time and is it being carried out to the letter of the law? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was here in the 13th Assembly on the committee that was working with the final review of the family law bills that were brought into effect, which my colleague mentions.

The intent of the plan and care committee was to do the very things that the Member indicated, to provide input, make sure there was due process, make sure every step possible was made to keep the child with the family and in the community and that no moves were made on children in and out of the community without the community being involved.

If the Member is asking me to tell him if there are plan and care committees in place in every community in the North, I will get that information and I will find out. I know what the intent is. I know what the process is, but I will get the specifics in terms of whether there are plan and care committees in all the communities. Thank you.