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

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

Page 394

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Nerysoo. Mr. Ng.

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

Page 394

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

So it is from the existing pool of community counsellors? Or, are those additional positions?

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

Page 394

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ng. 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

Page 395

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. These are additional ones. It is our intention to try to have at least one school counsellor in every school in the Northwest Territories.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Member for Kitikmeot.

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

Page 395

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Of the incumbent school community counsellors, are they all currently trained?

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Minister Nerysoo.

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

Page 395

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

I am not sure about that matter. I would have to go back and check to review the training of every counsellor. Generally speaking, most of the ones we have recruited have gone through our training program.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Member for Kitikmeot.

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

Page 395

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Could the Minister advise me of some of the general aspects of the training? What would be involved in that?

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Minister Nerysoo.

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

Page 395

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

If I could ask Mr. Gerein to be more specific about that.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Mr. Gerein.

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

Page 395

Gerein

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I hope I heard the question of the honourable Member. Each of the school community counsellors who is currently working in a school community counsellor position has been recruited against the standard job description for a school community counsellor and would have to have met the requirements of the position, either with direct training or an equivalency of training and experience.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Gerein. Member for Kitikmeot.

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

Page 395

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under culture and careers, "To establish and deliver a senior management training program for the GNWT, in cooperation with the Department of Personnel." I understand that you have at least one individual, if not more, who is already in this training mode to assume a senior management position with the government. Is there a training plan already in place? How is this individual currently being trained?

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Minister Nerysoo.

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

Page 395

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

We do have a management development pilot program that is in place at the moment. There are ten affirmative action employees in the Fort Smith region who have chosen to take part in the training program. They will train over a one to three year period. Upon successful completion, they will be qualified to apply for

management positions within the Government of the Northwest Territories. I will ask Mr. Gerein to add to that answer.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Mr. Gerein.

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

Page 395

Gerein

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The reference is to the senior management training program which is being piloted in Fort Smith right now. We propose to offer it more broadly and all GNWT senior managers would have to take the senior management training course. Part of it would be orientation to our government, but part of it would also be to develop a core set of skills that each manager should have if they are going to operate in this government. It would also allow these individuals to develop some networks and collegiality with other managers in government, and hopefully start to lead to increased sufficiency and effectiveness in the operation of the government itself.

Referring back to the Member's question about an individual on management training, that may well be under the public service career training program where the person has an individualized training plan developed as a trainee and, after a period of time, the individual would occupy the position which has been guaranteed by the host department. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Gerein. Mr. Pudlat.

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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Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have two questions for the Minister of Education. I am sure there are quite a few problems in the education system in the NWT. If you are requesting a teacher in a community, has there ever been a problem in providing accommodation for a teacher who is needed in a community, but cannot go there because of a lack of housing? Is providing accommodation for new recruits a problem in the communities? 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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Minister Nerysoo.

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

Page 395

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The fact is we do run into that problem, but much of it as a result of reacting to needs. When we know there is a requirement between July and September or August, depending on when the school year starts, we are able to work that issue out. What becomes difficult is when we have to recruit a new teacher in January. The school year has started and we have to recruit a new teacher in the middle of the year because of the student population being more than what we had anticipated it would be. That is normally where we run into the most problems.

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

Page 395

The Chair

The Chair Tony Whitford

Thank you, Minister Nerysoo. Member for Baffin South.