Thank you. I will go back to the Member from Frame Lake.

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. I will have to look through that mandate agreement again. I have scanned through it in the past but will look again. I think that's all my questions for this page for now. Thank you.

For page 42, 44, and 46, are there any further questions?

I'll go to the Member from Monfwi.

With the literacy funding, you know, it's in the GNWT stats and then so we've -- there is -- it was also identified in the auditor general report about the low education level in many of our small communities, and Tlicho was one of them that was mentioned. So, you know, I am just surprised that at this time with a study with that initiative that they're doing nine other communities were mentioned. But I just wanted to ask if Tlicho is going to be part of -- or in the upcoming, will be part of the -- will be part of this funding, the literacy funding that they're rolling out. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So if the Member is referring to the employability training for the literacy council funding that is rolling out right now through literacy council, the first four community deliveries will happen in Hay River, Fort Resolution, Lutselk'e, and Fort Providence. Those are the first four communities that are being targeted. And then from there, of course, Mr. Speaker, there's additional literacy funding from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment that operates on an application basis, and that funding goes to other communities as well. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Member from Monfwi.

Okay. Application basis. So who does apply? Like, is it the Indigenous government and/or is it education council or education authority? Thank you.

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So, Mr. Chair, it can be everyone from groups within the community. It can be through different organizations. And so there's a multitude of people that can apply for this funding. And I'd be happy to provide the Member with a list of funding that has gone to Tlicho communities specifically in the past -- or last year, if the Member would like. Thank you.

Thank you. I will go back to the Member from Monfwi.

Okay, thank you. Thank you for the information. The JK to grade 12 student services, I think my colleagues, they probably talked about this already, and then there's -- is that related to the JP program?

Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Can the Member please repeat the question. Thank you.

I will go back to the Member from Monfwi.

Oh, sorry. Okay, JK to grade 12 student services, the revised estimate is $23 million compared to the upcoming fiscal year, $8 million. This 23, is that a reflection of the JP program? Thank you.

All right. Thank you. I will go to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So I suppose the answer would be yes and no in that Jordan's Principle funding does not show up in the Government of the Northwest Territories' main estimates but what is captured there is the support assistant initiative that was introduced. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Member from Monfwi.

Well, I am kind of worried because, you know, JP program, a lot of small communities -- even in Yellowknife school, they really benefited from the program, you know, working with our Indigenous students. And it's a good program so I just wanted to know -- and my colleagues have always said it that education is our treaty rights and why we -- you know, like JP program, if it's gonna -- you know, whether it happens or not to -- for many of the school. I just wanted to know why we did not put the same effort that we did in 2025-2026 revised estimate in the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go back to the Minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. So the previous iteration of the support assistant initiative was brought forward mid-year in a supplementary appropriation. We're in the process right now of working with education bodies to understand how the follow-up school year may differ from the previous. As we've noted, there was multi-year funding agreements as well. And so next year will look different than the previous year. In addition, Mr. Chair, I am currently in conversations with education bodies to also learn how the support assistant initiative rolled out across the Northwest Territories and to better understand more of the granular detail about what worked and what didn't. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. I will go to the Member for Monfwi.

Thank you. We shouldn't have to be going through supplementary budget. It should be part of the main estimates, knowing that this is a very important program. You know, we know why JP program exists. And for so long, our students have been at disadvantage. So I just want -- that's the reason why I am asking is that why -- like, it's not part of it. And I think from here on -- I hope that the ECE department will put this in their main estimates knowing that things are changing in many of the small communities. There's many of our -- are undiagnosed and, you know, we need more workers to be working with our young people so to be at that same level. We're not going to meet larger regional centre level but at least help our young people to go up a bit with their education level. And I think it's because we're lacking a lot of services. We're underfunded already, and this department will really help our young people. And it creates jobs too now that we're going to have -- if this thing is not approved, what's going to happen to many of our workers? You know, because they're already -- especially in the small communities, I am worried about many of our small communities where many of our young people with challenges when -- under the radar, you know. Like, I mean, they were not -- they were at the disadvantage, and it's going to really hold them back more now. So I just wanted to ask that, you know, we shouldn't have to be waiting for the supplementary budget. It should always be part of the main estimate. So that's just more of my comment. But, you know, it's something that we're going to be looking at all the time.

So another one too is that post-secondary education. Post-secondary education funding, it's the same all the way. It's $40 million. So that $40 million, I know a big chunk of that probably go to Aurora College, College Nordique. What's the other -- Dechinta. So, you know, I just wanted to ask the Minister -- I know I keep talking about the community-based training. We need more community-based programs offered in many of the small communities. So for the -- you can do the revised too, you know -- like, I mean, we are always doing supplementary and revised estimate anyway so -- and it's not too late for the upcoming year. So I just wanted to ask the Minister if they're -- if they've been working with Indigenous government or other groups to deliver more community-based programs so that -- so some of our young people or families that don't want to leave their communities right away can be accommodated. Thank you.