Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a few general comments. First of all, I want to again congratulate the department for the work they've done on this bill. Over the last four or five years, with heavy intensity in the last few months, they've dealt with a lot of issues, they've dealt with a lot of concerns, and they've been really open with trying to deal with the concerns. It's a mammoth task and a very difficult task, because everybody in the Northwest Territories is an expert on education and everybody has very strong opinions as to the education of children. So the patience the Department has shown is very commendable.
I thank the Minister and the deputy minister, Mr. Gerein, and especially Gail Joyce and Janet Grinsted who have sweated blood over this act for years. It's a very good job.
I have a few comments. Most of my concerns have been met. I think Mr. Dent has already said that we're meeting with the School boards tomorrow, and there might be some fine tuning. I think the department has gone a long way to alleviate any concerns that I've had or heard expressed to me by my constituents.
I guess there are a few points that should be put on the record. The first one is to do with the Catholic school system here in Yellowknife. I've heard some concerns in some circles that, there's some kind of an agenda for the government to, somehow or other, weaken the Catholic system. But I'm absolutely satisfied that is not the case. I think the Catholic system in Yellowknife has worked very, very well. They've provided a very good product in their education system, and they continue to have the full support of the government and the Legislative Assembly. I, for one, am very pleased with the things that are happening in the Catholic system. I think they're showing a lot of leadership, a lot of imagination, and doing an excellent job.
The issue of the Francophone parents has been a tough one. It's been a complex issue. There are many, many lawyers. The Minister met today with representatives of the Francophone community, and again, I think we're very close to accommodating the concerns of the Francophone community here in Yellowknife.
Some of the concerns the public school district had were similar to some of the ones the Catholic board had. I think that the clarification in new drafts outlining the power of the Minister, for instance, in choosing a superintendent will go some way to eliminating those concerns. We'll hear tomorrow if there are any other outstanding concerns.
One area which hasn't really been talked about a lot, and I brought it up at the public meeting here because I wanted to be fair to teachers, is that the whole concept of reaccreditation is on the table. I think Mr. Lewis expressed some very legitimate concerns. All of us want to ensure that the teachers stay up to speed with the latest techniques, the latest information, et cetera. We want to make sure that whatever process is set up, it we go that route after five years to reaccredit, we make sure the process is very open and very fair, so that teachers know what is expected of them. It shouldn't be left to the whims of individuals, whether they be principals, civil servants or school board staff.
I think all of us will support movement in that area, but let's make sure the process is transparent, fair and gives us a product that we want. In fact, rather than being looked at as a punishment for teachers, I think, used properly, teachers can use it to demand from their school boards or districts, the right to receive that type of education and upgrading that is very necessary in the teaching profession.
I was very happy to see in the act that we have outlined some of the responsibilities of students. I think it is very important that any time I look in any legislation, when I look at rights, I always want to see some responsibilities in there. We have become a country that is absolutely preoccupied with their rights. At the end of the day, I don't know who is going to pay for all of these rights because no one seems to want to be responsible for how this country works. It is good to outline that the teachers, students, parents and the principal have responsibilities. I was very happy to see that in there.
I am glad to see that the department responded very quickly to the concerns of the Status of Women delegation, as far as providing an atmosphere in a school free of violence and emphasizing equality of rights in the preamble. That was important. I was happy to see that there was absolutely no problem whatsoever from the department and they responded very well with that demand.
One of the recommendations of the committee was the recommendation to do with parent advisory committees. Again, if we were to say that education is a partnership and that parents are a key part of that partnership, we have to demonstrate that with a mechanism in the act where parents can exercise that partnership. My experience in dealing with schools in Yellowknife is that parent advisory committees have been a very important component of the schools. In some schools in the very beginning, they weren't that well accepted. It wasn't until they were pushed, that teachers and principals really saw them as allies. They aren't threats. We have to have that in the act; each school at least has to have the opportunity to have a parent advisory committee.
One of the major concerns we heard was so much of the act was going to be dealt with in the regulations. We have heard that in this House many times. Quite rightly, educators, parents and people across the territories were concerned and the department did respond in the act that in the regulation-making parties, the interested parties will be involved. That is a big step. It doesn't go as far as many people want, but we have to recognize that it is a fair compromise. It allows flexibility on one hand, which is what people have been demanding and, on the other hand, it does provide some level of commitment by the department that they will actually consult with people. It was a very good compromise.
I want to end by saying the basic principle of education to me always has to be -- on top of all the fancy ideas -- excellence in our schools. That is what this is all about. The bottom line is this act isn't just for the parents, boards, politicians or for groupings of political bodies, this is to actually make sure our kids get educated. This is what this is all about. And that's the only real test, at the end of the day, of whether this act works;are our kids being well educated? I don't really care who has the power. I don't care whether the Minister has the power, the local board has the power, or the principal has the power. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter who has the power if the kids don't get a good education.
I think we should get back to the focus and ensure that our kids get a good education. That's the bottom line. With that, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
--- Applause