Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a quick question in this area. Yesterday there was some questions about expanded kindergarten classes. I would like to know from the Minister if this has been looked at and what kind of cost implications it might have. I believe there was some discussions on it yesterday but I cannot recall the numbers.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, the initial look at this, a cost figure for age 4 and 5 to expand the kindergarten program, would cost approximately $8 million, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is the department looking at moving on this initiative? I think it is a good idea, especially when we discuss early childhood development. In some communities, there might already be room in the schools where there will not be a requirement to add on, capital wise anyway. It is just a matter of O and M. The space might be provided within existing facilities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we are interested in knowing what the cost of this is exactly and what the challenges are in order to extend the program. It is of interest to us, recognizing, of course, the financial hurdle we may face in achieving this. It does make some sense because we are looking at the early childhood program, where we are making an investment. Getting children ready for school is the issue. If we can extend the kindergarten program, that will catapult them into a more advanced level still, to be sure that when they get into grade 1 they are ready for school. It is of interest to us.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am glad to hear that and I hope that this will somehow begin to be implemented, in light of all the information we have about the impacts of early childhood development. When we do look, for example, right now, with all the other money we are spending in the area of adult education, for example, and the Minister spoke about this earlier in reference to some other question, is we have our K-12 program. Then there is your post-secondary, whether that is college, university or trades.

The other side of it is some of those students who drop out of the K-12 program come back as adults. It costs much more at that point. We end up paying for it at that end. If we can impact and start earlier, and those children be ready for it, I think it would be a good thing. Maybe we can even start some pilot programs out there and start to see if we can track it and see what kind of results we would have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The term has been used, and Mr. Dent referred to it in the report earlier from the Standing Committee on Social Programs, that a dollar investment at an early age can save seven dollars later on. It is very true.

We have to take that into consideration when we say, can we invest more up front? Whether we can find the resources to be able to do that becomes the question. We know it will pay off down the road.

We are looking at a continuum system, early childhood from birth to old age, practically. Now we are in a process of filling in the holes. I do not know whether we can call them holes, but certainly areas that we can refine. We have an Early Childhood Program that takes care of birth to age 4, 5, 6. We need to take care of the 4, 5, 6 in the K-12 program. We are making refinements from K-12. Then transition to work or transition to university, et cetera, or higher education, and even those who are not in the system with adult education, Mr. Chairman. Early childhood can do tremendous things for us, no question.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In a different area under the education and culture, other expenses, $5.6 million. Can I get some information as to what that would entail? Thank you.

That is on page 9-17, I believe the Member is referring to. I will give the breakdown, Mr. Chairman, of the amounts. I will not give all the detail, but we can provide the detail to the Member: instructional support services is $516,000 and $361,000; aboriginal languages, $69,000 and $103,000; early childhood services, $357,000; education, operations and development, $312,000; schools, which is minor capital, fees and payments, first degree for NWT teachers, for example, is approximately $535,000; culture and heritage, approximately $650,000; language services, $758,000; library services, $269,000; and distance learning is approximately $1,752,000. I am mentally adding here as I go, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have one question on this page. Can we get a breakdown of other expenses of $5.6 million please?

-- Interjection