Mr. Speaker, it is a great thing that students of Yellowknife have a variety of choices when pursuing their educational goals. Whether Yellowknife Education District No. 1, Yellowknife Catholic schools, or at the Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest. All these schools are amazing places of learning, and officials at the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have done a great job providing support to the Yellowknife schools, but today I want to talk about a school in my constituency that is dealing with an ongoing problem that has a simple situation. That school is Ecole St. Joseph's School.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment has determined the number of students needed to put the school at 100 per cent capacity is 581. In the current school year, Ecole St. Joseph School currently has 571 students enrolled, putting them at 97 per cent capacity. If current student population remains the same, then we can project next school year will be at 102 per cent capacity, and the following year at 103 per cent capacity. This clearly indicates we have an overcrowding problem at St. Joseph's, and need to resolve it immediately before it starts to effect the educational standards students and parents expect from St. Joe's; the largest primary school in the Northwest Territories.

This has been a point of discussion between the Minister and Yellowknife Catholic Schools for over three years, and the main suggestion that has come from the Minister was to share space with Yellowknife District No. 1. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, this is an unacceptable outcome to everyone involved, and in the long run will not solve the lack of space at St. Joseph's.

Mr. Speaker, I'll admit I'm confused about the Minister's plan and how it will be a cost-saving measure. If these students are to be attending Ecole St. Joseph, then obviously they will still have to be using space. Or will they be counted as not attending Ecole St. Joseph, but rather attending whatever public school they are situated in, except for the Yellowknife Catholic Schools' curriculum? I suppose this means we'll have to transport students to and from wherever these spare classrooms are located. This plan is confusing, it's unfair to both students and teachers who want to attend Ecole St. Joseph and have chosen that school for their students' futures.

Instead of pursuing this convoluted scheme any further, let's invest in the students of Ecole St. Joseph in the most practical way and purchase some modular classroom facilities. There is space for them on school grounds, Yellowknife Catholic School Board and parents are resoundingly supportive of this solution, and it just makes sense.

Mr. Speaker, let's do what's best for students and begin the process of purchasing modulars that can be in place next year before Ecole St. Joseph School is officially over 100 per cent capacity and we have to start stacking students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.