Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently I've received a number of letters from the constituents of Deline. They wrote to me because they're very concerned that the funding for the family literacy projects would not be continued. As you are aware, Mr. Speaker, family literacy projects have been funded through the NWT Literacy Council with money from the early childhood development framework for action. It's a grassroots project that works really well with parents to help them see that they are the first and foremost important teachers of our children. It gets families involved in the education of their children.

The program has made a positive difference in the lives of children and families across the Northwest Territories. Unfortunately, with the sunsetting of this initiative, the work that went into setting up the grassroots infrastructure, the very thing that made this program so effective, risks being lost. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if a review of early childhood development action plans has been assessed and why the department has not decided to locate alternative funding to continue the family literacy program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I heard two questions. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The assessment of the programs that were funded under the early childhood framework for action has begun. I am hoping to have the assessments completed before the end of April so that we can assess where the priority areas would be for putting funding if we are able to find any new funding for that program. That was the Member's first question.

The second question was why we have not been able to find money for the program. The issue has been one of restraint, as was pointed out by Ms. Lee in her statement today. The budget that we brought forward didn't leave us much opportunity for innovation. We brought forward basically the budget that had been prepared by the previous government and, in fact, I was given the responsibility of bringing that forward and cutting further from it before presenting it in this House. There wasn't a lot of flexibility to move monies around to find money for this area because of other priority areas in the department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize for the two questions in one. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find it ironic that this government can fail to locate funds to continue such a well-received program, especially after resources are being forwarded to set up the necessary grassroots infrastructure for its delivery. Yet, Mr. Speaker, this government can find funds to create yet another bureaucratic body. I'm speaking of the $100,000 day to day to support the Official Languages Board. Granted, the $100,000 will not be sufficient to manage the $1.3 million that sunset this year, however, it could be a start, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister tell me whether he considers cancelling any other programs for services prior to making the decision to let the sunsetting of the family literacy program of the early childhood program stand? Thank you.

Just to remind the Members, your supplementary question should be a question, not another statement and a question. Just to remind the Members. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I assume that you want the same sort of thoughts kept in mind by Ministers responding. I'll try and keep it brief.

Mr. Speaker, the Member asked if we've been able to find any areas that we could cut to provide funding for this important program. I'd have to say looking for $1.2 million may sound like it's easy in a department that's got $214 million in the books, but if you take out all of the contributions, there really is less than 15 percent of that total budget that's available for any discretion at all and finding a million dollars out of that is very difficult.

I certainly would not be prepared to tell this House that I'm not proceeding with the language boards. I think the Special Committee on Official Languages heard loud and clear from people across the North that they want to see that sort of service. So we are planning to proceed with implementing those two boards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister make a commitment to share the results of the review of the Early Childhood Development Action Plan with this Assembly when it's completed? Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Speaker, it would be my intention to share that, particularly with the Standing Committee on Social Programs if the Assembly is not in session. Thank you.

Item 7, oral questions. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, in the case of both Ekati Mine and Diavik Mine, there is a reliance on self-reporting by the mines. Both mines put out regular reports on their northern hires, southern hires and aboriginal hires. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister tell me what apprenticeship programs

there are at the mines to encourage northern young people to seek employment at the mines? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I'll refer that question to the Minister of ECE. Thank you.

The question is referred to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can't enumerate the specific training programs that are on at each of the individual mines right now, but I know that there are a number at the mines. I must say that compared to what we had with mines about eight years ago, the growth of the number of people who are in apprenticeship programs in mining in the North right now has been quite dramatic.

When I first became Minister in the 13th Assembly I think between all the mines in the Northwest Territories, which was much bigger then than it is now, there was only one apprentice. We've gone way beyond that and I know that at one point we were approaching 28 apprentices between the two mines that are operating. I can't say whether that's still the case today, but I do believe that we are still seeing a good number of apprentices working at the northern mines. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.