Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I brought up the issue of poaching hard-earned cash surpluses from our district education school boards in Yellowknife to fund the territorial Junior Kindergarten Program.

As I indicated today, this method of paying for school rollout initiatives is only penalizing school boards that have sound management in place and I believe this will only breed resentment. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Prior to making this decision, can the Minister inform the House, did the department undertake a full-scale assessment of potential negative impact on Yellowknife school boards? Specifically, did the department anticipate an increase in the mill rate for Yellowknife taxpayers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.