Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further along in the Minister's statement he indicates that they are going to establish a Web site to improve details on student financial assistance that students need along with a chat page so students can contact each other. Mr. Speaker, when I was a student, we had a very difficult time getting information on other students from the department. We formed a students union, and we could not even get the names of other students in the same city because of privacy regulations and so forth. I understand the Premier had the same problem this year when he went to visit some students. What I am wondering is, if this problem still exists, can the Minister move to put some sort of a line on the forms that the students fill out consenting that their names and addresses can be provided for certain instances like when people are forming students unions and that type of thing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could not quite hear what the Minister said. There was a side conversation here. But I think he said he hopes they come to their senses and approve the plan. Does that mean that legislation will be introduced in the next session if we have one in September? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It is in relation to his statement today about supporting students attending post-secondary programs. Mr. Speaker, I notice that in the area of increasing the level of support available to each student of student financial assistance dollar wise, the department is working on the details and hopes that changes can be made for the 2000 school year. Mr. Speaker, I was at a conference in the Metis Nation annual assembly of September of last year where the then Minister of Education talked about a master plan that he had which was basically finalized. They just had to draft the legislation, and we would have had more money in the hands of students for this year. I would like to know what has happened. Why has this not come forward, the increases to student financial assistance? Why has that not come forward for this year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I was saying, the biggest problem is the insufficient amount of student financial assistance. This government has been sitting on a plan for two years now that was going to be put forward and passed so that students could get funding this year. Where is it? The other thing is that students need some type of association, a students' union, and this government should help them to achieve that, in fact provide some funding so that there is consistency. We know that students come and go as soon as they have their degrees. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank everybody for allowing me to conclude my statement, and I will be having some questions for the Minister of Education later. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to speak today about students as well, so I was very pleased to hear the two Ministers making some good news statements about bursaries and support for students. Mr. Speaker, I just finished a meeting with a couple of very, very frustrated students. They had a complete list of problems that they with other students have identified. This includes inadequate funding, late arrival of funding, issues concerning approval for funding, funding being revoked without notification and/or explanation, no funding for third semesters and the summer sessions, no explanation for funds given or confirmation of deposits. The spirit of the transition allowance is inconsistent, in fact with funds for 1999 arriving in 1998. There is no funding for books, lack of funding for graduate studies, and accountability issues. There are clerical errors. There is no way to change a student officer if you are having a problem. There is lack of flexibility with travel. You are locked right into whatever you get. There is no emergency loans process, no money management support. There are poor appeal mechanisms. When they are phoning in, they are getting voice mail. There is insufficient contact information. Student officers are going on vacation in August and, worse, in September.

There is a whole list of things here, Mr. Speaker, so I was very pleased to hear the Minister indicate that they are going to be making a number of changes to improve service to students and streamline the student financial assistance. I would like to congratulate him on making these changes, but, Mr. Speaker, where is the major change that is needed to address the student financial assistance, the insufficient amount of funding that our students are getting? Right now they are getting about half of what is required for tuition. Student allowances are low, the whole works. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to suggest we have a 20 minute break.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, and wishes to report that Bill 16 is now ready for committee of the whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later today at the appropriate time the Standing Committee on Government Operations will be reporting on our review of Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act. The Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed Bill 16 at several meetings over the past few months. The committee would like to thank the Honourable Charles Dent for presenting the bill on July 27, 1999, and responding to the committee's questions. Bill 16 would amend the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act to terminate the payment of pensions under that act.

Members of the Legislative Assembly who are entitled to pensions under the act would be paid the actuarial equivalent of their pensions as of November 30, 1999. They would have the choice of a single lump sum payment or payments over 64 months. Mr. Speaker, while the standing committee is not unanimous, the majority of the committee recommends that Bill 16 not proceed. Some Members entitled to the pension support the bill. However, many others have arranged their financial affairs on the basis of continued pension payments to themselves or their families. Termination of the plan would have serious negative consequences for them. If the government wishes to proceed to terminate the plan, it is the committee's view that Members entitled to payments should have the option to choose a payout or to remain in the pension plan. The committee recognizes that an amendment to provide for this option would be outside the scope of Bill 16, and a new bill would be required to accomplish this.

This concludes the standing committee's substantive report on Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act. Although we will later report the bill as ready for consideration in committee of the whole, we recommend that the bill not proceed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to waive rule 93(4) and have the report placed in committee of the whole as the first item of business for Wednesday, July 28, 1999. Thank you.