Speaker, can the Minister of Education tell us if she still believes her formula is equitable?
Hon. Rosemary Vodrey (Minister of Education and Training): Mr. Speaker, I do have faith in the funding formula, as do most school divisions in the province of Manitoba who have at this point expressed confidence. However, where school divisions experience a declining enrollment, then their need for the exact same amount of funds will also decrease. Mrs. Carstairs: Mr. Speaker, perhaps the minister can explain why that same taxpayer that the Premier (Mr. Filmon) likes to talk about used to have to pick up through his local support levy some 24.7 percent of the cost of education and at the end of her new formula in this school division will have to pick up 37.52 percent. Can she tell us how fair that is to the same taxpayer? Mrs. Vodrey: Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the honourable member what this government has done in terms of funding education in this school year. It has increased support to school divisions by 3 percent. We have reduced the ESL by one mill on residential prope
