The next school year's Grade 6 students will be the territory's first to start French immersion after the first grade.

On Wednesday, Education Minister John Edzerza committed to start the program late this summer even if Ottawa doesn't put up the money it's expected to provide.

Edzerza said at an afternoon news conference it will cost about $100,000 to offer the late immersion program for Grade 6 students in 2004-05.

The government expects the money from a federal language program but the Department of Education has yet to receive an official OK.

Edzerza said Ottawa has promised to provide a 'letter of comfort' to indicate it will pony up the money without actually guaranteeing it.

'We'll see how comfortable it is,' Edzerza quipped.

The minister guaranteed the Yukon government will provide the $100,000 if Ottawa reneges on the deal but he is confident the cash will arrive eventually.

'We fully expect that Canada would fund this program,' said Edzerza. 'They're pretty good at coming through with commitments.'

Edzerza said the territory could wait no longer to get working on the program, which will begin in the new school year that will start in late August.

Right now, if Yukon children are not put into French immersion by Grade 1, it will never happen.

This new program will permit students to start French immersion in Grade 6. They will spend two years on their own before joining the other immersion students in high school at F.H. Collins Secondary.

Edzerza made the announcement at Whitehorse Elementary School, home of the immersion program for kindergarten to Grade 7 youngsters.

Mary Jane Warshawski, president of the Yukon chapter of Canadian Parents for French, said the new program gives parents a chance to change their minds about immersing their children in French.

'There's a second chance.'

She said Grade 6 is not too late to start the program.

'When you're in Grade 6, you're still young enough to be a sponge.'

Edzerza said it's important children get this chance.

'Language immersion is a valuable opportunity for more children to become bilingual,' Edzerza said.

Warshawski said the program as it has been designed was 'well-researched'.

Veteran Yukon educator Sandra Henderson took the lead last September on researching a late immersion program for the department.

While the program is now going ahead, Warshawski was afraid it wouldn't happen since there had been no commitment from Ottawa.

But she contacted Yukon Liberal MP Larry Bagnell and said he helped get the letter of comfort sent.

Bagnell said the letter is on its way and should be in the territory next week.

According to the MP, approval of the late immersion was caught up in the approval of a larger French education package, which is why the OK has still not arrived.

Bagnell, who is campaigning for re-election on June 28, said the letter is no guarantee the federal government will pony up the money.