Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am pleased to report on our achievements in Education, Culture and Employment during the first half of the 18th Legislative Assembly. Mr. Chair, as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and as Minister responsible for Youth, I am especially proud of the work we accomplished as a result of the Right from the Start Early Childhood Development Framework.
We have increased operating subsidy rates to create more affordable childcare spaces, we eased the burden on operators by offering simplified licensing and funding application processes, and we have made changes to allow for multi-year agreements.
The passing of Bill 16 established junior kindergarten for four-year-olds in 33 communities in the Northwest Territories. This is something that we all can be proud of. I have visited children in junior kindergarten classrooms around the Northwest Territories and their energy and enthusiasm give me great hope for the future. Because of our actions, children in the Northwest Territories are getting a better start to their educational journey. In high schools, I want to make sure that all students have the opportunity to learn and excel in a multitude of subjects.
Distance learning continues to bridge the gap by offering programs that were previously not available in rural and remote communities. I am excited to keep expanding this innovative program. While the factors that influence student outcomes are complex, there is strong evidence to show that giving teachers more time to prepare, assess, collaborate, and professionally develop their teaching practice is critically important. Bill 16 gives teachers this flexibility through the Strengthening Teacher Instructional Practices initiative. Our partnerships with the Northwest Territories Teachers' Association and the Northwest Territories Superintendents Association were significant in reaching this milestone.
Mr. Chair, we must ensure our residents have the skills and training they need to enter the workforce.
The Skills 4 Success 10-Year Strategic Framework aims to improve employment success for all Northerners. We have already completed many key actions including releasing and implementing the Apprenticeship, Trades and Occupational Certification Strategy. This plan details how training, apprenticeship, and certification opportunities will be improved in skilled trades and industrial occupations across the Northwest Territories. Another part of our actions under Skills 4 Success is working with Aurora College on their renewed strategic plan. Currently the strategic plan has been put aside to allow for other informing work to be concluded. This will make the outcome stronger and enable Northerners to benefit from college programming offered in response to labour market needs.
To fulfil our mandate to increase immigration to the Northwest Territories, the Government of the Northwest Territories has launched a marketing campaign promoting the Northwest Territories Nominee Program. The launch of the ImmigrateNWT website was the first action to increase the number of immigrants working and investing here. I am pleased to report that Education, Culture and Employment's target to increase the number of approved applications by 25 per cent each year has been fully achieved. As well, Education, Culture and Employment and Industry, Tourism and Investment released the first ever Northwest Territories' Immigration Strategy. This strategy supports population growth and addresses labour market gaps and skills shortages, while safeguarding employment for our northern residents.
Mr. Chair, language is the foundation of our culture and heritage, and it expresses the uniqueness of who we are as Northerners. Negotiation with the federal government to provide additional money for official languages has been successful. We received a substantial increase: we now receive $19.6 million for Indigenous languages and almost $22.5 million for French through the unprecedented multi-year agreement.
The updated Aboriginal Languages Framework: A Shared Responsibility was tabled in May. This work would not have been possible without the support and expertise from language communities and Indigenous governments.
Mr. Chair, as Minister, I have worked hard with all our partners. I am proud of our achievements to date and certain that with the guidance of Members we will meet our remaining mandate responsibilities by the end of the 18th Legislative Assembly.
Mahsi cho. Quyanainni. Merci beaucoup. Thank you.