Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the working level on each district, I'm not sure what kind of collaboration is taking place. I know that, as I mentioned, strong on the early childhood. I would have to check to see what is taking place on the collaboration with Health and Social Services in the area of school enrollments. The Member spoke earlier about speech therapists and so forth. Those are the kinds of areas that we are very concerned about, but there's also a dearth in the availability of those types of individuals. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our efforts have been on two fronts. One was to reduce the PTR, as the Member knows, and the other is in special needs. We increased funding substantially for schools in that area, from eight percent to 15 percent, Mr. Speaker, to assist students.

Where our collaboration has been very extensive, Mr. Speaker, is in the early childhood development area, prior to entering school. We feel that's the place that we can make a significant impact for students; not to ignore the ones that are there now -- I understand what the Member means by that -- but we have, as I said, increased funding to that so that students can get some extra help, Mr. Speaker. But, as I say, our collaboration is very strong on the early childhood area so that we get children ready for school. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The graduation is based on the amount of courses that the individual takes, and they have to write examinations and we follow the Alberta process of examinations. Just on that, Mr. Speaker, I should mention that our outlook is that in 2003 we should continue to see an increase in graduation rates in smaller communities, remain stable in the regional centres, but continue to decrease in Yellowknife. That seems to be where the trend is, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, not to my knowledge, Mr. Speaker, it has not been watered down by any means and that's my current knowledge. Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we did do some initial checking and there was a higher than normal graduation rate in the South Slave, in Fort Smith and Hay River, I believe. That caused the blip, but it's back to normal. It's somewhat related to enrolment figures, as well, Mr. Speaker. I should mention that the graduation rates in smaller communities is increasing and for aboriginal students is increasing, while the graduation rate for non-aboriginal students is decreasing somewhat. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do have the information and I have further information here, as well, which I could share with the Member after, Mr. Speaker. The trend has been fairly steady. There was a blip in 2001 where there was a substantial increase in graduation. Then all of a sudden, a back to normal level for 2002. Of course, that's the latest statistics we have, Mr. Speaker. But it looks like we're still on track with our graduation rates overall, except for that one year blip, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's also a great pleasure for me to recognize the people who run our aboriginal head start programs here in the Northwest Territories. They do a great job and I believe there may be two other people here, Mr. Speaker. Irene Gruben and Margery Matheson. I wish to recognize them. I believe they're in the gallery. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise today to advise my colleagues of the actions being taken by the Government of the Northwest Territories to assist the workers affected by the Miramar Con Mine closure.

Mr. Speaker, with the Premier and my Cabinet colleagues, we have coordinated efforts to respond in an effective and timely manner to support our residents by identifying options available to assist those whose lives are being affected.

The people who are going to feel the most impact are the families involved. Within these families, we have our friends, our neighbours, volunteers in all our sectors, our sports coaches, people who have added so much to the fabric of the community.

As well as the changes for the workers' lives, Mr. Speaker, there will be an economic impact. We are speaking of the loss of many direct and indirect jobs from the Yellowknife economy. Mr. Speaker, as a government, we are doing our utmost to support those affected by the closure of this mine.

Through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment we are working in conjunction with Human Resources Development Canada to provide direct support for the employees of Miramar Con Mine. ECE is ensuring that workers are receiving informational sessions on a regular basis. These sessions highlight the options available to people for retraining, upgrading, work search skills, student financial assistance, self-employment option, apprenticeship training and training on the job.

ECE will also be working closely with David Milne, a consultant hired by Miramar Con Mine to assist workers with their transition planning to ensure their needs are being met.

Mr. Speaker, another GNWT department that has been active on this issue is the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. While Miramar and the city of Yellowknife are the key partners to initiate the potential land transfer process, MACA continues to participate on a number of committees established to review environmental and process-related issues regarding the potential surrender and transfer of the trailer court lands.

MACA has been represented on the Con/Rycon Land Acquisition Subcommittee since its inception in 2001 and has provided technical information and land transfer procedural advice to the committee. MACA is also a member of the GNWT's task team established to develop options and strategies for dealing with environmental and risk mitigation issues associated with the potential transfer of the trailer court lands and to provide advice on an as-and-when needed basis.

The final piece of this transition plan comes, Mr. Speaker, through the closing of the facility itself. Historically, abandoned mines have been associated with a legacy of environmental degradation in the NWT. With the announced closure, the need for an effective abandonment and reclamation plan of the Miramar Con Mine has taken on a renewed importance. The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Municipal and Community Affairs and Health and Social services are working with the federal government, municipal governments, aboriginal organizations and the mining industry to review Miramar's proposed plan. Mr. Speaker, through this broad-based approach, we will ensure that this mine's legacy does not include long-term environmental degradation.

Since taking over the operation of the Con Mine in 1993, Miramar Mining Limited has contributed positively to the overall prosperity of the Northwest Territories. We anticipated that the company will continue to act as a good corporate citizen as the mine now prepares for closure.

Through this broad-based approach, Mr. Speaker, we intend to help the employees, the community and the territory during this period of transition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The arts panel brought forward recommendations in seven areas, Mr. Speaker, some of which we have been able to initiate as we have been developing the response to the arts panel report. Others are more complicated and will require a funding process and identification of resources. So we have not sat still on this whole area, Mr. Speaker. We have introduced changes, but with the approval of our process of this House because as the Member will recall, we increased the funding for the doubling of the Arts Council contributions to $280,000 and there is a few programs like that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.