This is page numbers 367 - 397 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was education.

Topics

Tabled Document 3-12(5): Towards A Strategy To 2010: A Discussion Paper
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, if there are no further comments from other Members, I would suggest we move into consideration of the departmental budget and Committee Report 2-12(5).

Tabled Document 3-12(5): Towards A Strategy To 2010: A Discussion Paper
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Does the committee agree that we are concluded with Tabled Document 3-12(5)? Agreed?

Tabled Document 3-12(5): Towards A Strategy To 2010: A Discussion Paper
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

---Agreed

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Department Of Education, Culture And Employment

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Mr. Minister, perhaps you want to retain the witnesses who were available for this discussion or exchange them for other witnesses. Mr. Minister.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wish to ask Mrs. Balanoff to leave and replace her with Mr. Paul Devitt, the finance administrator for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Balanoff, on behalf of the committee, we wish to thank you for your participation and very thorough presentation. Thank you.

---Applause

The Sergeant-at-Arms will escort you out and escort the new witness to the table. Mr. Minister, for the benefit of the committee, would you introduce your new witness, please.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you. For this presentation, on my left again is Mr. Hal Gerein, the deputy minister. On my right is Mr. Paul Devitt who is in charge of finances.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you. I believe when we concluded, the opening remarks had already been concluded. We're on the main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, beginning on page 18-12. Does the committee agree that we're into general comments now? Or detail? What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, before we get into detail, I know I have some questions about the definitive objectives of the department. So, I would hope that we can agree that we weren't quite as far ahead yet as page 18-12 or page 18-13 and that we can continue with general comments, at your discretion.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. If you wish to comment on the definitive objectives, I believe they are on page 18-8. Mr. Dent.

General Comments

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Actually, Mr. Chairman, I have some questions under the directorate and administration definitive objectives. One of the definitive objectives is to provide drafting instructions to the Department of Justice to enable a new Education Act to be tabled in the fall of 1994. That being this fall, I would like some understanding from the Minister as to how the strategy paper that we have just been discussing, fits into the drafting of the new Education Act? I would suspect that the strategy would have some impact on what might turn up in the draft of an Education Act. So I am wondering what the time frame is for consideration of that strategy in order that you can have results back in time to have instructions from the

Department of Justice so that we can see this act in the fall? It sounds impossibly tight to me.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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The Chair Silas Arngna'naaq

Thank you, honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake. Minister Nerysoo.

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One might say it's ambitious but I think it's necessary. The comments that have been received in this whole process indicate that there is a need for a new Education Act. The new Education Act should be responsive to this strategy in terms of the direction we receive so we can implement the strategy. There are also changes that are of immediate concern that have to be included in the new legislation. From the timetable perspective, in our view, it was best to do both at the same time. In other words, deal with the strategy and the Education Act so that the legislative proposal would be reflective of any new initiatives or any new changes that were necessary to ensure we're carrying out both aspects. In that sense, we are preparing to respond. If there are any obvious changes, we would have to come back and account for those changes but I think it is necessary to proceed with the legislative change.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Nerysoo. Mr. Dent.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

I appreciate the need to move quickly on this and I agree with the need to move quickly, but I'm concerned that it's going to be a difficult road. My encouragement would be to make sure the department has enough resources provided to the development of the strategy and the follow-up on the discussion paper to make sure that input to the discussion paper is adequately assessed and responded to.

Another question might be then that I don't think I heard about a specific date today. Does the Minister have a specific date for having the next phase of the discussion paper completed?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Minister.

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

In the discussion you may not have heard me, but I indicated that the next phase, where we have the actual draft strategy itself, is June 1994. We would then come out with detailed documentation. I should inform the Member as well that we've already had one round of discussions on amendments to the Education Act. We've revamped some of the proposals to respond to the circumstances today. In other words, the documentation that I received when I became a Minister was about a year old, I believe. At that time, there were discussions that took place.

What I've done is brought the issue back to the table again and we are now bringing forward a revamped discussion paper that has already had input from the divisional boards on the changes. We are going to send that out as part of the discussion documentation and the strategy development. Those two documents are going to be placed side by side, and they are reflective of the changes that have already been suggested by the general public. In that case, I believe we have over 50 submissions to amend the Education Act.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Dent.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under educational development, one of the definitive objectives for the next year is to initiate the transfer of senior secondary schooling responsibilities to Yellowknife Education District No. 1. Earlier today, the closure of Akaitcho Hall was a subject of some discussion. This is somewhat related to it, I guess, but not specifically. What I would like to know is if we could get an update on the status of the agreement, if there is such an animal at the moment, for transfer of Sir John to Yellowknife Education District No. 1?

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member will recall that we had a discussion and he advised me about some concerns he had before session began. I indicated to him at that time that I was considering the idea of proposing a meeting with the district board. I did hold that meeting at their offices along with staff members. We submitted to them a memorandum of understanding for the transfer. They indicated they wanted an opportunity to review the document and they would advise us of some of the changes they would consider. We've since had discussions with them and they've submitted proposals for changes and additions to the MOU. We're almost at a point where both sides are happy and we're pretty close now to signing an MOU of the process of transferring that particular institution.

Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95Committee Report 2-12(5): Review Of The 1994-95 Main Estimates
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Mr. Dent.

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to thank the Minister for that response. I hope the Minister will keep the House informed as negotiations continue. Under culture and careers' definitive objectives, one of them is to complete and implement the NWT child day care program and policy. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that before Christmas the Minister told the House that we could expect to have the new child day care policy provided to the House in this session. It would seem, given this definitive objective for the year starting April 1, 1994, that would not be possible. I was wondering if the Minister could clarify that, please.

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The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Minister.