Sure.
One of the comments you made, Mr. LeBlanc, was that the department has relatively little control. It's an issue that I think is perhaps a bit misleading in that the department has a really strict relationship with the first nations. Yes, the first nations on reserve do administer the program; however, there are programs and processes they have to go through to work with the department.
For example, to be more specific, provincial education systems have services like in the Saskatchewan context--community school funding, integrated services, SchoolPLUS, other administrative functions that support the school board head office, curriculum units, and certain other large ancillary services that provide significant support to the school, wherever it may be, in whatever town or city. When it comes to first nations funding, there is virtually an absence of funding in that area.
So I think it has to be looked at more closely in terms of the proper resourcing to support the programs at the first nations level.
I have just another quick example. When provinces make a change...for example, the behaviour disorder funding that was made available a few years ago. It took the department two or three years to catch up and provide that type of funding.
I guess the question is, how do you envision moving forward in providing the proper administrative and ancillary educational support comparable to what the provinces provide to their schools, and in having the department play more of a role or establishing a stronger regional or tribal council presence to support these community schools?
In regard to tribal council funding, under Prince Albert Grand Council, for example, there are 33 schools and 12 bands, but the tribal council funding formula only funds them at a maximum of five bands and 2% of the education budget. There are 33 schools and 12 bands, so there's a bit of a disparity.
So relatively little control I think is a bit of a misnomer. I think there needs to be a lot more reality there in looking at what needs to happen.