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).
Debates of Feb. 25th, 1994
Topics
Tabled Document 3-12(5): Towards A Strategy To 2010: A Discussion Paper
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Tabled Document 3-12(5): Towards A Strategy To 2010: A Discussion Paper
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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
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Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
---Agreed
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Some Hon. Members
Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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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