Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to know from the Minister that when spring break-up comes and residents have to travel back and forth between Vale Island and the new town of Hay River, if it proves that people cannot get back and forth in an hour, and there is an easy solution as far as throwing a couple of culverts across the channel, and putting a gravel pad so people could drive across, would there be money and would the department be willing to look at that as an alternative? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There was an amount budgeted for putting in this bridge and when the call for proposals came back and the contracts came out, there was about a $400,000 savings from the amount that had been budgeted. Would the Minister confirm that for me please?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, seeing as we are asking questions of the Minister of Transportation, I do not want to get caught not saying anything. We have a situation in Hay River, as well, that is directly related to the Minister of Transportation.

As the Minister knows, we are putting a new bridge in Hay River. The department has made plans as far as handling traffic during the construction of the bridge. Could the Minister confirm that consultation has been done with the people involved in the Hay River area, and that the plans for the upcoming break-up in the spring have been designed to accommodate one lane traffic over the railroad bridge? Does he know how long that will be for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the program dealt and made these recommendations, they obviously felt the recommendations they were proposing were making the program far more equitable to all students.

This government chose to ignore those suggestions and instead are recommending a program that is far less equitable to all students. I am wondering if the Minister could justify the reasons for changing their minds?

My question is simply the past Social Programs Committee made recommendations that they felt would make the program far more equitable to all students. Is it correct to understand they were working well within their parameters, and the recommendations they were making were well within the ability of this government to act upon?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I was asking was that the past Social Programs Committee had serious reservations about the changes that are being proposed here today and had subsequently recommended changes they felt might make the policy more equitable to all students. My question was, were these recommendations well within the ability of this government to act upon?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the past Social Programs Committee had serious reservations about the changes you are proposing here today, and subsequently recommended that you make things more equitable for all students, they were making feasible suggestions. Suggestions that were well within the ability of this government to act upon. Is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, part of my question that was taken as notice earlier was answered by the Minister of Finance. I would like to direct this question to the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment.

It is my understanding from the information given to us by the Finance Minister that it is up to this government to decide who gets grants, remissible loans, and regular loans. We set the policy and regulations deciding how to split that money up, not the federal government. Is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment. It relates to the Student Financial Assistance Program.

I am wondering where student financial assistance money comes from? Does the federal government earmark funds for post-secondary education to specific groups of people? Do they say "here is this much money, this much is for Treaty people, this much for Metis, this much for Inuvialuit, and a certain percentage for non-aboriginals"?