Merci, Madame la Presidente.
[Translation] In August, the Minister of Education brought an end to years of confrontation and uncertainty for French language students and families by rescinding the Ministerial Directive on Admissions for French language schools. The Directive was too long the basis for a series of costly legal actions, and was replaced with new regulations governing admission to First French language schools.
The new regulations were warmly greeted by the Commission scolaire francophone des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, which manages École Allain St-Cyr in Yellowknife and École Boreale in Hay River. Finally CSFTNO has been delegated authority school admissions with appropriate reporting. The regulations broaden eligibility with a “reaquisition” stream—admission of students who can show their great-grandparents were Francophone, and for children of “Francophile” parents within agreed upon limits.
Three students have been enrolled this year under the new regulations and six students who are the subject of the ongoing court case have been tentatively admitted and will remain students pending the outcome of the appeals. It's not clear why GNWT continues with its appeals.
Overall though, the new Minister last year has brought renewed collaboration between the board and the department and I congratulate him and CSFTNO.
I will have questions later today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on some issues still facing CSFTNO and its schools. [Translation ends]