Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I just want to highlight the full-time kindergarten program; the $1.638 million that's been funded through education authorities. During our December consultation process and also meeting with various parties in the communities, it has been stressed that this education directive, there was going to be some cuts in funding. There's been some different approaches to this particular issue, how to fund the full-time kindergarten programs.
So during our tour of the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School, we heard on the social committee program, Social Programs committee heard from the resource people on what kind of impact it has in our region, the amount of dollars that we're talking about and the students that will be impacted.
So from there I presented to the social committee and then presented to the Minister, met with the Minister with my resources, the Tlicho Community Services Agency resource people, and we had a really productive meeting, I must say. But, at the same time, I'd like to know from the Minister if...We talked about different options at that level. The Minister with the chief executive officer, with the chairperson, and also there was a letter that went to the
Minister outlining our position as the Tlicho Community Service Agency and what kind of impact it would have on us. I see this 1.6 and our impact alone is half a million in the Tlicho riding.
So a question to the Minister is, since our last meeting we've initiated our letter that's been requested by your department. I'm just wondering what the next step is at that level where we threw an option of us pursuing as status quo, where there is no full-time kindergarten on our part. There was a letter clearly outlining that from the Tlicho leadership that we want to stay as it is, except 22 plus students to attend high school. Because even in our high school, we've had since 1994 over 60 students who are 22 years and older that successfully graduated from high school. Mezi School in Whati alone has 18 successfully graduated from high school that are 22 plus. So I guess he can look at it as a model for the North in graduating aboriginal students in the Tlicho; not Tlicho community, but aboriginal communities.
So I'd just like to highlight that to the group here that there is a huge impact on the Tlicho region and we threw around an option. We're just wondering if the Minister is still working on the option of us having a status quo and leaving it as it is for Tlicho riding and allowing that option to other communities, like Deh Cho or Sahtu or Inuvialuit, if they feel that there's a need to be a status quo or if they want to continue with this new initiative of full-time kindergarten program.
So if the Minister could reply back on the status of what they've been working on in that area. Mahsi.