Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Education Ministers are, at this point, confident that the federal government is sincere in the comments it's made, that it really strongly supports post-secondary and that it has a role to play in ensuring that Canadians have the opportunity to attend post-secondary studies. So from
that we're hoping that they will continue some kind of program.
There is not unanimous support among Education Ministers for this specific program. So the Ministers have agreed that the letter should say we would like to see Canada recommit to a program that ensures that Canadians have access to non-repayable funding, grants as issued by the foundation. But the mechanism by which they may be delivered, many provinces, such as Quebec and Alberta, the money flowed to them to be handed out through their system rather than going through a foundation. So there isn't a unanimous push for the foundation being there.
The position of the Northwest Territories is one that we want to see the money come to northern students, whether it's through a foundation or directly through a contribution that we get from Canada, that we provide their flag or recognition for them on the cheque when it goes, or on the statement that goes to the student. We're open to either approach. But we, like the rest of Canada, are at this point trusting that the federal government will follow through on its commitment, or its public statements to support post-secondary education.