Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure that we have the capacity at this level of government to impose the kind of solution the Member is talking about. It would likely take federal legislation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the table for over three years. Why hasn't the Minister of Education been doing something about this problem? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very disappointed in that answer, because we have a lot of frustrated parents out there trying to find a workable solution. Mr. Speaker, at the very least, will this Minister be answering all the questions that were formally posed last week at the public meeting? At least that would head towards some type of workable solution. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand how emotionally attached people are to a school in their neighbourhood, but it isn't something that's new in North America, that schools that are underused get shut down. If you go to, for instance, the Edmonton Public School's website, you'll find that they have, right now, three schools proposed for closure on the website. As part of the presentation, they talk about how that money that is being spent on a principal, an extra janitor, extra administrative staff in the office is now going to be moved into a classroom in an adjacent school. They talk about how that's going to improve what goes into the education of the students.

They also talk about how schools have been sold, leased, have been used by the City of Edmonton, have been used for all sorts of different things. Some have been sold to church groups for use as schools. Others are being used by other non-government organizations and they are collecting leases. So this isn't something that's new. If you have a situation where everybody says we have all of this space, we aren't prepared to even consider consolidating when we don't need all of that space, then you are in a

situation where you are bound to have a bunch of money wasted.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, parents are happy, students are learning, kids are graduating with excellent marks. There is excellence flowing into these programs and it's certainly proving well. Mr. Speaker, the Minister says he basically doesn't have authority. Then what does he really have authority for at the end of the day? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, for once the Member and I agree on something. We have two excellent boards operating in Yellowknife. We actually have three excellent boards operating in Yellowknife.

---Applause

We are doing well in terms of graduation rates. So that's something we should celebrate. But you know what? What we are proposing won't change that. What it will do is allow some money to improve even further. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.