Thank you again for those comments from the Minister.

The other one I want to discuss was the Kalemi Dene School. I was very pleased to attend the opening of the new Kalemi Dene School last month. It is an amazing facility. What was very interesting is it was instantly overcapacity in enrolment which,

of course, reflects the facility deficit that we had there. This is a school which, in a very modest facility, has gained national attention, two major national awards, three actually, two for the principal and one for Eileen Erasmus, a teacher at the school recently announced a few weeks back for the work done at Kalemi Dene. The education there is grounded in place and culture. I do not think it is too early to start considering future needs for that area and that facility. At a time when many other schools are experiencing a decline in enrolment, Mr. Chairman, this area obviously has a significant need. I would say for the time being this Kalemi Dene School is servicing that need, but barely. It is quite amazing.

I hope that the Minister of ECE will be considering this in the facility needs study that is going on, despite the fact that there is a new school there in place. As I mentioned, it is already oversubscribed or over enrolled. I hope that Ndilo and Dettah educational needs are considered in that study.

That is just by way of a comment there. But in terms of question, what is the process for dealing with the old facility there? Is there a consultation process that the department takes on for what to do with the old facility or are there any insights in that to be shared? Thank you.

I understand the college is currently looking at use for the building at this point. Thank you.

I think I missed that. Was it Aurora College considering it? Is that correct? Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

That is good to hear. I hope we can keep posted on that one.

The last point I just wanted to raise was my voice on, as well, going back a page to the Aurora Campus, but more specifically to this page on Sissons. I think everybody agrees it is in need of some serious maintenance work. I am intrigued by my colleague’s idea, Mr. Abernethy’s idea for Aurora College campus. Perhaps that could be considered for whether the school would be most appropriate for a campus and Sissons enter the mix as for the most appropriate use. I just want to lend my support there that this is a facility that is recognized, needs attention. Let’s get that fixed and in good shape and make the best use of these facilities. Again, just a comment. That is all I have. Thank you.

Comment. Next on the list I have Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to just follow up on that comment and then I have a question. I, too, would like to encourage the

Minister and also the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to not narrow the vision of using an existing school for the college but to consider all schools. When looking at this facility study, don’t just look at Sissons but look at all schools. It may be that there is another school which may be more appropriate or the land around it may be more appropriate for a college. It is certainly going to require some reprofiling of students, which is going to raise some alarms, but I guess I would just encourage everybody to keep an open mind.

I do have a question with regards to the line item for high school career and technology studies. It was my understanding, I believe when I asked the question at committee, this is a fund which is available through the education authorities and schools can apply I think to the education authorities for funds to try and enhance the technology and the trades programs within individual schools. It was also my understanding that this was for small schools only. My question is whether or not this expenditure can be considered for a small school which happens to be in my riding, which is Ecole Allain St-Cyr. If I could have an answer to that question. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Miltenberger.

Currently communities that are exempted from this particular fund are Yellowknife, Inuvik, Behchoko, Fort Smith, Hay River and Fort Simpson. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for the answer, not that I like it. I guess I understand the rationale for exempting communities, but perhaps it would make more sense to exempt schools by their size as opposed to exempting a whole community. Certainly Ecole Allain St-Cyr is a small school which no doubt could use the capital dollars to enhance their high school trades programming. I don’t believe they have any at this point. Is there any hope that the rationale for this particular program might be changed? Thank you.

Whereas work is done with the business plan for Education, Culture and Employment, I would speak on behalf of the Minister that that kind of discussion is one that would be appropriate as we look at things being structured the best possible way. Thank you.

I understand the answer, but I guess, if this is a capital expenditure, the time now to talk about a capital expenditure being accessible by all small schools is now. Is the Minister suggesting to me that come the time to discuss the operations and maintenance budget, that there is an opportunity for some funding for trades for small schools at that time? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, the only point I was making at this juncture is if there is an interest in talking about the actual structure of that program, the preamble and the rationale that has been set and been operational which is to assist small communities with smaller schools, the Member could raise the issue now and where we are talking about the specific projects that have already been agreed to, but that kind of discussion would be best undertaken with the Minister of Education. I would be happy to maybe refer this question to the Minister, if he wanted to respond to the Member about the actual structure of the program. I am not in a position to make any commitments or discuss that. I do believe that would be the Minister of Education or the deputy that could speak to the structure of that particular program. Thank you.

For clarification, Mr. Minister, are you deferring the question to the Minister of Education? The Minister is referring the question to the Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Those are the areas we can certainly look at as long as…I guess we need to look at the whole structure itself, the situation that we are at and the current policies that we follow. We can certainly look at those areas that Ms. Bisaro is suggesting. Mahsi.

I appreciate the answer from the Minister of Education. I note that this program is an ongoing program three years in length. This is the middle year of the three years. If the department would look at that, I think that would certainly be more fair. Certainly the larger schools probably don’t need this kind of funding, but not all small schools exist in small communities. I think if there is an opportunity for a small school that is providing high school to have access to some of this funding, this capital funding, I think that would be certainly appreciated. I think I would like to ask the question whether or not, if this program is application-based, whether or not Ecole Allain St-Cyr should put an application forward for some of this funding. Thank you.

Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There was a document sent out September 18th to all the divisional board

superintendents as well as Yellowknife district education authorities, as well as the director general of the Commission Scolaire Francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest. So they all have the information. The intent in small communities, in small high schools, the debate over...I am not sure. Maybe I will ask the deputy minister to respond if there are any questions or feedback from the communities that have small schools but are clearly large communities.

Deputy minister of Education.

Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am sorry to belabour this, but I just want to be clear. The information has gone to the Commission Scolaire Francophone and they should put forward an application to the Department of Education for some of this capital funding for career and technology studies. Is that correct? Thank you.

Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. They are welcome to do that. In the program preamble it states to address particular needs of small communities, funding has been set aside for small capital projects and currently the communities that are excepted or exempt from this are Yellowknife, Inuvik, Behchoko, Fort Smith, Hay River and Fort Simpson. So that’s the policy as it now stands.

These folks have that information. There is nothing to stop them, I would imagine, from writing for an exemption using the argument put forward by Ms. Bisaro, that they are as all community or a small school and shouldn’t be discriminated against because they happen to be situated in Yellowknife. Thank you.