This is page numbers 241 - 272 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 7th 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 chairman.

Supplementary To Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 248

Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand from what the Minister says that we have received briefings in this House and in Caucus from various departments and particularly from the Department of Education that these, in fact, are accurate. I guess I would ask, I beg, I would implore the Minister and indeed all of the Ministers of this government if, in fact, you know a situation needs help like the areas I have outlined, would you please, if you have the spare $350,000 to spend, would you in future put it into something that can assist in these problem areas that we have instead of looking for spending the money that we do not have additional resources to fix, finding problems that we have?

Would the Minister commit to ensuring that he will not perform any additional studies until we at least fix the problems that we have identified already? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 248

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Very clearly, I share the Member's perspective, that I am now into, and I think we are now into, implementation and solutions as opposed to study. Being in a perpetual state of study and planning can only carry you so far and does get expensive. So, yes, we are not intending to do any further studies, we are now intending to come up with concrete plans of action. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Question 91-13(7): Education Conditions In The Nwt
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 248

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. In the hand out, the GNWT Budget 1999-2000, the Finance Minister states in there, and it is bolded and highlighted, there are no cuts to existing programs in the GNWT 1999-2000 Budget. Is this a true statement, Mr. Premier? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Premier, Mr. Antoine.

Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, to the best of my knowledge. Thank you.

Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am sorry, I did not hear the answer. Maybe he could repeat it. Thank you.

Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Antoine, would you like to repeat your answer?

Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the best of my knowledge, the statement that is in the brochure is correct. Thank you.

Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 248

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Morin.

Supplementary To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 248

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Also in the statement, the same statement, the Minister states "my priority as Finance Minister is to secure the financial tools the north must have to meet our future head -on and to succeed at making our vision for tomorrow a reality." Is part of this government's vision to make our communities more independent? Is part of this government's vision to make our communities benefit from their

existent knowledge? Is part of this government's vision to ensure that our small communities not only become more independent, but become more self-sufficient with what tools they have within that community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. There were three questions asked. Mr. Antoine.

Further Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you. I guess the answer is yes, that is the intention of this government is to attempt to use what we have in terms of resources to work with the communities to see what could be developed. Certainly we support all the abilities of the community to generate their own economy, to maximize the benefits that are in their communities in terms of resources. This is what we are saying. Certainly we would like to work with the communities to do that, but like I said earlier, we have just about 21 days since we had division.

We have to refocus on what we have in terms of our resources, in terms of the financial resources, in terms of human resources. What are the possibilities out there? We have to reassess what we have and once we know what we have and how we are going to do it, then we will move ahead with what we have. In the meantime, we will try to maintain what we have. That is the direction that we are taking at this time. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Question 92-13(7): Veracity Of Budget Statement
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Sorry, Mr. Morin. You did ask three questions. Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Miltenberger should be very pleased that after so few days in Cabinet he is by far the most popular Cabinet Minister. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Miltenberger made a very categorical statement just a few moments ago in response to Mr. Erasmus' questions about grade extensions. He stated that he would have no intent of reopening Akaitcho Hall under any circumstances. Mr. Speaker, I think that grade extensions in communities where people want them and where they succeed is a noble goal and I am just amazed by the Minister's categorical dismissal of any consideration for students in small communities ever coming into larger centres again.

It is not difficult to figure out that you could not possibly offer the same options for courses and things like sports and extracurricular activities in a community of 400 that you could offer in a community of 7,000, just as Yellowknife with 17,000 may not offer all the educational extracurricular options of a community of 40,000 people. It is all relative to the population. I do understand that there is a community that is asking for the reinstatement of some form of what we had before. Certainly all the people in the north that I know that attended Grandin or Akaitcho, people who are 40-something and 50-something, you hear them speak of that particular educational experience in a very positive light. So my question is, I am curious why the Minister is so definitive in his denial of any consideration on the part of this government of such a program again? Thank you.

Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my recollection of what I said is that I am not contemplating, at any point, reopening Akaitcho Hall. I am not denying students from smaller communities the right to come to larger communities to go to school in other circumstances. Am I, as a Minister, thinking of resurrecting Akaitcho Hall in the magnitude that it was in its heyday with the cost and all the attendant issues now surrounding residential schools? No, I am not. Will there come a day when there is a huge ground swell of support in the Northwest Territories to resurrect residential schools like Akaitcho Hall, like Grollier Hall, like Breynat Hall. If that day ever comes and I am still alive to see it, then I am sure the government will take a serious look at it, but I can tell you at this point I am not interested in trying to revive the old system of residential schools. Thank you.

Return To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister would probably agree that there is a vast difference between taking a child of six or seven years of age away from their parents and picking them up at the beginning of the school year and dropping them off at Christmas. I think there is a vast difference between that scenario, as a residential school, than some of the high school options that we saw available in years gone by. Does the Minister have any statistics that show how grade extensions are doing? Do they work better in terms of achievement and graduation than children, say of the age of 16, going to a larger center and completing their high school in a larger center if that was their choice and their option? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr Speaker, I do know that the rates of students going to school has increased. Although graduation rates are not where we like them, grade extensions have shown an improvement in young people attending school and staying in school. I do not have the level of detail that the Member is requesting. I will commit to providing that information for her. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Question 93-13(7): Grade Extension Policy
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 249

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be prepared to provide the House with evidence of increased attendance rates in the small communities where the grade extensions have been put in place? Thank you,

Mr. Speaker.