Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. We are at a time when schools are facing budget shortfalls and need to either cut services or programs. I really do not understand why ECE does not allow for budget surpluses to be carried over and utilized by schools at the start of a new fiscal year. Presently, when the fiscal year is coming to an end, and there happens to be monies left over that was not spent, it is mandatory for all school boards to hand back all of their money to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, or to the FMB, depending on the surplus amount.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly disagree with this way of doing business. I believe that we could be better utilizing our leftover education dollars. Why not allow schools to spend this leftover money to use how they see fit? After all, these allocated funds were budgeted for their use, so I don't see why we can't allow them to carry over any unspent money into the new fiscal year.

If schools were able to carry over these surplus funds and spend it as they saw fit, I believe that our schools would be better off because of it. Just think of it. Schools would be in a better position to plan for long-term spending on things like new support staff, funding bus services, or for simply buying new classroom supplies, such as computers for students.

In closing, we had this scathing auditor general report on education in the North. I think that we need to be innovative, and we need to use the spirit of our youth to assist in whatever we can. With that, I will have some questions for the appropriate Minister in a short while. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.