I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my second question is: what is the Government of the Northwest Territories doing to ensure ENR's on-the-land youth programming is a permanent part of NWT students' education?

This year, ENR, we are actually going through the numerous applications that we have right now from several schools across the Northwest Territories to try and access some of the funding that we have available. One of the ways that we continue to support on-the-land programming through the youth is through the budget and having the line item in it every year so that there is a defined pot of money that the schools can apply for. That has been going on for a while. Again, we recognize the importance of these programs to youth out there, so that will continue to be a line item in the budget.

I appreciate that response. Mr. Speaker, my final question is: what does ENR do to promote opportunities like Tundra Science Camp or Aurora College environmental programs in remote communities in the NWT?

The Tundra Science Camp is available to all youth across the NWT, and it is actually promoted through our regional offices and local schools. Other youth ecology camps are also available for support, and it goes back to some of the funding I was speaking to in the youth core. I notice there are a few in here where, in the Deh Cho region, for example, they have an ecology camp that is funded through one of these programs. Through other regions, as well, they have ecology camps.

ENR will continue to support, with some of our other departments, these types of opportunities for our youth across the NWT, promoted through the schools. The schools know that the funding is available. As a Legislative Assembly, we have to ensure that we have funds that are earmarked for it, and that goes back to my comment before about having it as a line item in the budget, where we continue to support it every year.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. Yesterday, I spoke of the territorial parks and the increase in visitor numbers to all of our parks in the NWT. Communities are interested in building upon that opportunity. Is the Minister aware of the Guardians program I discussed in my Member's statement earlier today and the Indigenous Leadership Initiative request for federal funding? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister of ITI, I am aware of it only because I used to be the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

---Laughter

I can't speak on behalf of the Minister of ENR, but I know the department is probably supportive of this program. Well, there is a new Minister. I would probably ask the Member that he is going to have to direct his questions to ENR on this program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, the Minister had stated in the House about the Deh Cho parks and its advances and its scope is for recreational and economic purposes, so I am trying to scope within my questions at least the possibility of trying to advance territorial parks so that communities could be involved with it. Therefore, I am asking those questions.

My second question is to the Minister of -- again, I don't think he answered my first question, but my second question: has the Department of ITI considered implementing the Guardians program in the Northwest Territories?

I am going to have to look into this matter with the department, but as I have said, when I was the Minister of ENR, this question was brought up. I believe that there have been some other people in the Northwest Territories, Aboriginal governments, and groups that are looking at how to implement this not just across the Northwest Territories but across Canada as a whole, I believe.

I did ask two questions. I wanted to ensure that -- the first question wasn't answered. The second part of the question that I asked was clearly not answered, too. My third question, again to the Minister: what would be required to launch the Guardians program as a pilot project in the Deh Cho?

Like anything, we would have to look at the costs of this, and we would have to probably engage with the federal government, what they could contribute toward this program. As I have said, Aboriginal governments in other jurisdictions across the country are looking at how they can possibly implement this. I believe the Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh has brought this up before. It is a program that has been used in Australia, if I remember. We would have to follow up with what I have mentioned.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister for his reply in terms of his interest in terms of the Guardians program and seeing it at least maybe having a glimpse of hope of seeing it realized in the Northwest Territories.

My final question: would the Minister commit to monitoring this issue and also write a letter of support and discuss it with other departments and Aboriginal organizations, how we might implement the Guardians program in the NWT? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will assure the Member that we will have a look at how we can access some of this stuff and look into it.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a number of the honourable Members on this side of the House have questions for the Minister of Education, continuing the line of questioning this week about the change of affairs at Aurora College. I, too, have questions.

A number of the discussions have been around streamlining program delivery so we can save costs and maximize benefits to students. My question then is: these costs that we are saving by cutting programs, are they being reinvested in the college in other program areas or in new infrastructure, or are we just cutting costs to reduce the contributions, which will help the government manage its debt? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The college always looks at the programs and evaluates programs. The programs that were brought forth in the reductions were a collaborative work between our departments, our department of ECE and Aurora College executive staff, to come up with these decisions that needed to be made. As I mentioned, when we are making those decisions, we want to make sure that we are getting the best bang for our dollar, that the investments that we are making, the dollars are being spent effectively and efficiently. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Maybe I was not clear enough. Are the dollars we are saving from identifying these efficiencies being reinvested into post-secondary education, with Aurora College or any of our other post-secondary partners, or back into SFA? Is any of this money going into post-secondary education, or are we just making cuts and the savings are going back into general revenue?

In terms of any savings that we are doing, we are always working with the Aurora College board of governors, as well as the executive, on the programs and services that they provide, and we support them. We continue to support them with the dollars that they need to run these programs. So, when we look at the budgets, it is about budget process, and we work with them very closely in moving forward on those.

So last budget, we supported them to the tune of around $33 million in direct contributions, and this year we are reducing that, we are supporting them $3 million less. That's what I am talking about. That $3 million in support, where is it going? Is it going back into post-secondary, either through the college or through other groups, or is it just being cut?

Those decisions are going to have to be made as we look at the strategic review that is currently under way. We are in an academic school year right now. As well, we continue to provide a lot of great programming through Student Financial Assistance to support our students going through the programs and services that Aurora College currently provides.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.