I said we’ll be tabling this document and it’s got the Minister’s senior official’s signature on it. ECE has failed to increase the departmental budget over the last few years to the extent that they have not even met the increase in the CPI, the Consumer Price Index. That says something, but now that we do have full information here, even though the Minister cannot seem to put the numbers together and out in words here today, we do have full information.
Will the Minister finally give serious consideration to address the real budget issues that have become clear? That is, the Minister’s funding plans yield budget deficits that accumulate for YCS, as an example, to negative $1.67 million by ’17-18, in the conservative case, a deficit that is typical of YK 1, Hay River and Inuvik as well. For example, he could simply allow the proven Aboriginal Head Start program to continue in eight communities, providing both a basis for significant savings and an opportunity for a comparative evaluation of the two programs at little cost, and again, the department could put in to this House. We’re not stingy when it comes to education.
Will he do this and start to address these on the basis of real numbers which will be tabled today?