Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that.

I’d also like to ask the Minister: when we will know? Will committees be informed as to our plans and our actual participation in the Olympics and how everything is going to play out down there? When will we have an idea of when all this is going to play out?

Mr. Speaker, I expect that we’ll have that information as part of the business planning process in May–June. We have toured some sites in Vancouver in order to help us develop our business plan.

Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr.

Speaker. In

answering my question before, the Minister had mentioned a proposal. I’d like to ask him if there was a dollar amount attached to this proposal that was put forward.

Mr.

Speaker, there is a

proposal that was put forward. I think it would be premature for me to indicate what that figure is, but we are looking at some substantial dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister Responsible for the N.W.T. Housing Corporation a few questions with respect to the Auditor General’s report.

I heard a Minister on the radio this morning speaking with, I believe, Mr. Henderson.

Many of the findings in the auditor’s report reiterate what I’ve been saying as a Member for the last two years: that we need a proper appeal system; we need a proper board in place that can assess clients. Many, many constituents have contacted me because they didn’t feel the assessments and applications were proper.

I know that the Housing Corporation had an opportunity to look at the report. Would the Minister care to comment specifically on the appeals system that may be addressed? Thank you.

The report of the Auditor General is before the government ops committee right now for review, so I'm going to rule that question out of order in the House at the present time.

Mr. Speaker, I'll try my question again, since you told me last time I was changing horses in midstream.

I'd like to address my question to the Minister of Education. Does the department have a zero-tolerance policy that addresses violence toward teachers in school?

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, we do have policies with the school boards and different authorities at the community level. They establish their own zero-tolerance policies for teachers. It is in the works with each organization in the community. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to know whether or not the department has any particular actions or programs that are in place to oversee

what the district education councils or the school boards are doing, relative to zero-tolerance policies.

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, our department works closely with the authorities and the school boards and has frequent contact with the superintendent of school operations. If issues arise, then there are protocols that they follow, a process, according to the policies that we have in place.

Yes, there is a system in place, with open communication and dialogue between our department and the communities. Mahsi.

Mr.

Speaker, one last question.

I guess I would take from that answer that there is nothing in place, from a department perspective, that ensures that teachers are in a safe environment in their school and their classroom.

Mr. Speaker, we have to work with the local school boards, and also the organizations, the authorities. They establish their own policies within the school system, and we continue to support them with developing their policies, with their changes.

Within our own ECE department we continue working with them to develop those policies and regulations and different program areas. Mahsi.

Item 8, written questions. Ms. Bisaro.

Mr.

Speaker, I have two written

questions I'd like to ask today. The first one is to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Will the Minister advise the enrolments for all Yellowknife schools for the past five years (2003-2004 to 2007-2008)?

To the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Will the Minister advise the per annum cost to the Government of the N.W.T. for our participation in the Arctic Winter Games for the current Games and past four Games (Games held in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008)? All costs should be considered, to include but not limited to:

• G.N.W.T. funding contributions to Host

Societies

• Costs of Arctic Winter Games Regional Trials

• Costs of Arctic Winter Games Territorial Trials

• Cost of clothing for Arctic Winter Games

participants

• Cost for two N.W.T. representatives (Members) on the Arctic Winter Games International Committee

• Cost of department staff time or man hours.

Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Speaker, I seek and ask consent to go back to item 14.

Member seeks consent to return to item 14, tabling of documents. Are there any nays?

Consent granted.

Return to item 14, tabling of documents.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to table the document from the United Nations in regard to the General Assembly, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Document 4-16(2), United Nations Declaration

on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, tabled.

Item 16, notices of motion.

Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions.