Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suppose this is an ongoing issue with schools in Yellowknife, and I am pleased that the department is trying to lump them out because they are not all the same, and you cannot just take kids from one district and put them in another. You need to work with the school boards. Parents choose to put their kids in those school boards, and those school boards deserve the support, when we put programs like junior kindergarten and inclusive education into these schools. Again, I would like to ask the Minister: can the Minister answer if he has a cost for those modulars, what that cost would be, and if he is willing to pay it? Thank you.

The Minister indicated a number of emergency situations or temporary accommodations due to construction. I think there is a big difference between those circumstances and circumstances where policy changes have brought more students into the school than the school can contain. Will the Minister look at the possibility of modular classroom facilities and report back to both the House and the school board?

I'd like to thank the Minister for providing that comprehensive explanation of the work that's being done on capacity; however, this school is at 97 per cent. Does the Minister agree that that is an unacceptable situation that needs to be resolved immediately?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to know what the Minister of Education's plan is to resolve overcrowding in Ecole St. Joseph's School. Thank you

Mr. Speaker, it is a great thing that students of Yellowknife have a variety of choices when pursuing their educational goals. Whether Yellowknife Education District No. 1, Yellowknife Catholic schools, or at the Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest. All these schools are amazing places of learning, and officials at the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have done a great job providing support to the Yellowknife schools, but today I want to talk about a school in my constituency that is dealing with an ongoing problem that has a simple situation. That school is Ecole St. Joseph's School.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment has determined the number of students needed to put the school at 100 per cent capacity is 581. In the current school year, Ecole St. Joseph School currently has 571 students enrolled, putting them at 97 per cent capacity. If current student population remains the same, then we can project next school year will be at 102 per cent capacity, and the following year at 103 per cent capacity. This clearly indicates we have an overcrowding problem at St. Joseph's, and need to resolve it immediately before it starts to effect the educational standards students and parents expect from St. Joe's; the largest primary school in the Northwest Territories.

This has been a point of discussion between the Minister and Yellowknife Catholic Schools for over three years, and the main suggestion that has come from the Minister was to share space with Yellowknife District No. 1. Quite frankly, Mr. Speaker, this is an unacceptable outcome to everyone involved, and in the long run will not solve the lack of space at St. Joseph's.

Mr. Speaker, I'll admit I'm confused about the Minister's plan and how it will be a cost-saving measure. If these students are to be attending Ecole St. Joseph, then obviously they will still have to be using space. Or will they be counted as not attending Ecole St. Joseph, but rather attending whatever public school they are situated in, except for the Yellowknife Catholic Schools' curriculum? I suppose this means we'll have to transport students to and from wherever these spare classrooms are located. This plan is confusing, it's unfair to both students and teachers who want to attend Ecole St. Joseph and have chosen that school for their students' futures.

Instead of pursuing this convoluted scheme any further, let's invest in the students of Ecole St. Joseph in the most practical way and purchase some modular classroom facilities. There is space for them on school grounds, Yellowknife Catholic School Board and parents are resoundingly supportive of this solution, and it just makes sense.

Mr. Speaker, let's do what's best for students and begin the process of purchasing modulars that can be in place next year before Ecole St. Joseph School is officially over 100 per cent capacity and we have to start stacking students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate what the Minister is saying, but, with all due respect to the Minister, I do not think they should have to make that decision when we have identified a $23-million gap. I know it is tough economic times, but $23 million injected into local infrastructure projects is going to make an impact on local economies and help spur the economy. That has been the approach of the federal government, and we are looking at historic growth across Canada. I would encourage the Minister to look at ways to achieve equivalent growth through infrastructure spending in local communities where it can be felt directly, and it should start with a $23 million investment. Nothing further, thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to comment on that approach, it is a prudent solution. However, there may be other infrastructure projects that local communities are focusing on, and, by the department encouraging them to prioritize certain things, it may take away from other stuff that is being planned. If there is any way we could provide the funding directly to them for this specific purpose, I think that would be a more equitable solution than potentially forcing communities to give up on other infrastructure projects that they have been planning for some time, but I will leave that with the Minister.

This funding gap, I have heard we are trying to address it. We have been trying to address it for a long time. The current estimates have flat funding for CPI, and I wonder if the Minister can let me know if the next capital planning cycle will see an increase to that, or are we going to maintain flat funding until this strategy is tabled? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If they do not, what then? How do we support our communities that have been identified as being in need through the most recent Auditor General Report? If that does not work, what are we going to do? Thank you.

Thank you. I just want to follow up on some of the line of questioning that my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre made. The Minister made a comment that some of these emergency service needs, such as fire prevention, are going to be addressed by federal infrastructure programs. My understanding is that Infrastructure Canada does not have funding for emergency services infrastructure. Can the Minister address how that is being addressed if it is not through the federal funding programs? Thank you.