Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that everyone is pretty aware that there is not enough funding that goes to the education authorities to deal with special needs. With the number of students who require that sort of attention, I think those resources are already spread very, very thin. So to say that the funding is there, might be somewhat...Well, it doesn't solve my problems. I have more than one student in Hay River right now who is not able to attend the regular school system, and I don't blame the teachers or the principal for suspending these children if it is disruptive to the education of the other children. However, the Minister made a reference in his comments to the statutory or mandatory obligation of this government to provide an education to every child. That being said, if there aren't enough funds for special needs, would it be possible for students or schools to make application on behalf of students for additional special funding because the special needs funding in the programs now is not sufficient? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since 1999-2000 to this year, the amount of funding that has been provided to divisional educational councils to fund programs for children with special needs has gone from just over $6 million to over $16 million. So there has been a pretty dramatic growth in the amount of funding in the past four years. It has more than doubled. That I think indicates that there has been some commitment on the part of this legislature to provide funds, and I guess what we are going to have to find out in the next little while is whether or not that increase has been adequate. If it isn't, as the Member is suggesting, then as a legislature we are going to be challenged to try and deal with that. I would think though that with the kind of growth that we've seen in the last four years in special needs funding, that the money should be there, and we are going to have to try and work with the DECs and DEAs to find out how they are responding, and see if there aren't ways in which we can help them to make sure that the funding is being used properly. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister if there are any, outside of the mainstream, classroom support available for students with behaviour problems any place else in the Territories. Specifically, are there alternative education opportunities for children in Yellowknife who have behavioural problems, which preclude them from participating in a mainstream classroom in the public schools? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure. I guess it depends on the nature of the behavioural problems. I suppose, for instance, that a territorial treatment centre might be a facility that could be used for situations like that. But again, without knowing the specifics of the behaviour issues, it's hard to know. It may help the Member to know that I have advised the DEC Chairs that by this fall I will issue a directive that will stipulate what is acceptable use for the funds that are provided to deal with special needs. I am not certain that the school support funding has been spent appropriately in the past, and I am planning to issue a directive by this fall, which will stipulate just what services are acceptable for inclusion under that $16 million that I've been talking about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister then is in terms of my response to my constituents who have children under the age of 16 who are not able to attend school because they have been suspended for long periods of time. Would it be appropriate to tell those constituents that this government recognizes its obligation to educate these students, and that there will be either some financing or opportunity made available to them just to realize an education? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure that the Member can trace it exactly the way that she did, but I would agree with her that this government does recognize its obligation to provide an education to children. I think that what I have been saying is that we believe we are providing the funds to the DEC, and through them to the DEA. If there is a problem, that needs to be addressed at the local level, and the department may need to work with the DEC and the DEA to make sure that the solution is found. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to remain consistent with my Member's statement. I am

going to ask the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation if the NWT Housing Corporation is still actively involved in the development of a mortgage investment corporation as part of Cabinet's overall strategy for the 15th Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our current programs are already providing the mortgage and lending requirements for the people of the North, and we are quite satisfied our programs are working. We are not looking at setting up an arm's length organization at this time. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Then would the Minister kindly advise this House if $18.3 million in new program monies will be made available to the developers and other people in pursuit of housing? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Housing Corporation currently provides lending and corporate assistance through an allowance under the NWT Housing Corporation Act. We provide personal loan guarantees, corporate loan guarantees, and in some cases construction of bridge financing. Our lending ceiling on that pot is at $30 million. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing then if there is that level of expenditure by this government on new housing developments, can I ask the Minister why is it that affordable rental housing program monies was reprofiled to the independent housing program? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our affordable housing program receives $7.5 million, 1.1 percent of the government's budget of $320 million, which was announced some time ago. This program was started in 2002-2003, and our investment under this program is geared towards the independent housing program, or the IHP, and also our public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Allen.