Clause 8.

Page 3, schedule, supplementary amounts appropriated for the 2001-2002 fiscal year. Part 1, vote 1. Operations expenditures, total supplementary appropriation for operations expenditures, $6,429,136.

Part 2, vote 2. Capital investment expenditures, total supplementary appropriation for capital investment expenditures, $997,000.

Total supplementary appropriation, $7,426,136.

Back to page 1. Preamble.

Agreed. The bill as a whole?

Does the committee agree that Bill 9 is now ready for third reading?

Thank you, Minister and your witnesses for appearing. As previously agreed, we will now go on to Bill 2 with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Does the Minister have any opening remarks? Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, Mr. Chairman and committee members. I am here today to present the 2002-2003 main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Chairman, the main estimates we are bringing forward today total $195.9 million. This covers operations and maintenance as well as amortization of our capital assets and represents a $12.5 million increase over last year.

This increase covers commitments including the NWTTA collective agreement increases, growth in school expenditures, and increases in supports for students. The estimates also include investments for Maximizing Northern Employment initiatives, revitalization of aboriginal languages and culture, income support benefits, and early childhood development.

I would like to thank the Standing Committee on Social Programs for their feedback and support during the review of our 2002-2005 business plan and our 2002-2003 main estimates. Their comments and insights have contributed significantly to these finalized plans.

Mr. Chairman, our main estimates support numerous goals outlined in Towards a Better Tomorrow. Some include:

• • a society which reflects the culture, language, and heritage of northern people;
• • a comprehensive early childhood system that leads to better beginnings for our children;
• • healthy schools that foster student achievement and success;
• • lifelong learning opportunities available to all community residents; and,
• • Northerners as full participants in the northern economy.

As outlined by Minister Handley in the Budget Address, as well as by the Social Agenda Working Group, the most pressing issue is not how much we spend in these areas, but whether or not our expenditures are having an impact. While we are anxiously awaiting the recommendations from the Social Agenda Working Group, we recognize the need to act on those items that can be addressed within existing budgets.

During the review of the department's business plan, the Standing Committee on Social Programs outlines the need for additional support to Northwest Territories day cares. Based on this and on meetings we have had with organizations and municipalities, we will be investing an additional $1 million in this area. This additional investment will provide direct support to operators by increasing subsidies, start-up and operations and maintenance funding. This will help ensure that children have access to quality care without undue hardship on their parents.

In 2002-2003, the department will continue implementation of its plan to fund school growth and to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio from 18:1 to 16:1 over a four-year period. The ratio is currently at 16.6:1 and will be reduced to 16:1 by the 2003-2004 school year. Funding for student supports is currently at 12 percent. Our plan was to increase this to 14 percent in the upcoming year. At the request of the standing committee, however, we have increased this amount to 15 percent for 2002-2003. This initiative will result in an additional estimated investment of over $2.7 million in schools in 2002-2003.

Over the past year, our government has supported increased involvement of Northerners in our growing economy through investments in Maximizing Northern Employment. We plan on continuing this initiative with investments in:

• • Student Success Centres, $180,000;
• • Expanded TEP Program delivery, $839,000;
• • Training in the oil and gas industry, $600,000;
• • The Northern Employment Support Program, $150,000; and,
• • Working with other departments such as Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and the Executive on private partnerships, employment and training initiatives. We intend to focus our efforts in these areas so that small communities benefit as much as possible.

Mr. Chairman, we will be continuing our investment of $2.4 million in the Government of the Northwest Territories' Literacy Strategy to improve the network of literacy programs and services in the Northwest Territories. We will focus on the need to increase literacy levels in all official languages of the Northwest Territories and the need to provide multi-year funding for agencies that deliver literacy programs. We will work to implement an accountability framework that provides guidelines for measuring and evaluating the effectiveness of programs allowing for the release of timely and accurate results. Special initiatives will be in place to increase access to literacy programs for seniors, incarcerated and disabled clients.

Mr. Chairman, unfortunately not all members of our society are able to participate fully in economic pursuits that result in self-sufficiency. Based on this reality, and recommendations from the standing committee, we plan on reinvesting $1.5 million into income support. This reinvestment will cover a number of areas including singles accommodation, food benefits, disability allowances and seniors' home heating subsidies.

The state of the aboriginal languages of the Northwest Territories has been in decline for a number of years. I am sure that all Members of this House will agree that what defines us as a people is our culture and language is a key component of that culture. All Northerners have a role to play in improving the health of our aboriginal languages. We will continue to work closely with the aboriginal language communities and the Special Committee on Official Languages to promote and revitalize aboriginal languages. A new investment of $919,000 will help with the acquisition, maintenance and revitalization of aboriginal languages and culture. Initially, emphasis will be placed on language acquisition through programs that assist Northerners to learn their mother tongue.

For 2002-2003 capital, Mr. Chairman, the department will start construction of a new Aurora College academic/administration building in Inuvik. We will also complete renovation and addition projects for Princess Alexandra School in Hay River, the Helen Kalvak School in Holman, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre and Aurora College residence units at Northern United Place. The coming year will also see design work start on an addition to the Chief Albert Wright School in Tulita and the renovation of Mildred Hall School in Yellowknife. A number of other smaller projects are also planned for 2002-2003.

Mr. Chairman, committee members, all the investments I have outlined support the goals of this government and the mandate of the Department Education, Culture and Employment. This concludes my opening comments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met from January 14th to January 25th, 2002 to review the draft main estimates. The social programs envelope includes the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Social Services and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

The committee, in our discussions with the departments, raised a number of issues. These discussions resulted in the committee making some specific recommendations. The issues and recommendations will be discussed under the appropriate department.

We will talk now about the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. The Standing Committee on Social Programs met on January 15th, 2002 to consider the 2002-2003 main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Committee members noted a $694,000 increase in the amortization estimates, $2,834,000 for the collective agreement with the Northwest Territories Teachers Association, $1 million in additional funding for day care and $1.5 million to improve income support program changes since the business plan review.

Members were pleased to note that the department accepted the recommendation, made by the AOC during the review of the business plan, that the department reinvest the projected $1.5 million savings that were expected in the income support program. Members were also pleased to see that the department recognized the Social Programs Committee's concerns expressed during the business plan review and increased funding for day care programs by $1 million over last year's main estimates.

Income Support Programs

As previously mentioned, Mr. Chairman, members were pleased to note that the department accepted the recommendation of the Accountability and Oversight Committee that the $1.5 million in projected savings, due to increased economic activity, be reinvested in the program.The $1.5 million will be invested in improving the seniors' fuel subsidy by decreasing the income threshold for eligibility, increasing the singles accommodation benefit, increasing the disability allowance, increasing the food benefit and by allowing income support recipients to keep their GST rebate cheques with no penalty.

Members are concerned that, even though the department is increasing the dollar amounts provided to income support clients for food and personal items, the increase does not contemplate the provision of a healthy food basket. Without adequate resources to purchase fresh fruit and vegetables, income support clients and especially their dependants, may not be getting the nutrition they need to be successful in achieving their goals.

The department maintains that because there is no recognized standard for what constitutes a healthy food basket it is impossible for the department to place a dollar value on the basket. Committee members would point out that the Canada Food Guide provides direction for what constitutes healthy eating. It should be a straightforward matter to extrapolate this information into a dollar value for the provision of a healthy food basket in each community. The Standing Committee on Social Programs will continue to press the department to provide enough funding to income support clients to purchase a healthy food basket.

Improvements to the seniors' fuel subsidy have broadened the income thresholds for eligibility and will result in more seniors being helped in maintaining their independence. Members have requested further information from the department on the possibility of the changes to the seniors' fuel subsidy being made retroactive to the start of the 2001-2002 heating season.

In addition, members have asked the department to clarify policy as it relates to the provision of fire wood under the seniors fuel subsidy. Committee members have been told some seniors have received their five cords of wood in eight foot lengths and have then had to pay someone out of their own pockets to cut the wood into stove-length. Members believe in consistency and consequently, the wood should be provided to the seniors in stove-lengths.

Expansion of Kindergarten Program

The Standing Committee on Social Programs has asked the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to examine the possibility of expanding kindergarten to full time for 5-year-old students and half time for 4-year-old students. Committee members see an advantage to expanding the kindergarten program in terms of early childhood development and in terms of reducing strains on the day care system.

The Aboriginal Head Start Program is an example of the advantages of early childhood education. The majority of students who have gone through the program are entering grade 1 functioning at least at a grade 1 level, if not better.

The department has provided the committee with a rough estimate of $8 million to implement a half-time kindergarten program for 4-year-olds and a full-time kindergarten program for 5-year-olds. This estimate does not include any provision for capital costs for expanding schools.

It is obvious that a decision to expand the kindergarten program could not be made and incorporated in time to be included in this year's budget. However, the Standing Committee on Social Programs strongly believes that the issue of expanding the kindergarten program deserves further in-depth study. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has provided the committee with a rough estimate on the costs to expand the kindergarten program. They did not provide any analysis on any projected cost savings that could be realized.

For example, committee members can point to studies that show that a $1.00 investment in quality early childhood education means a $2.00 return to Canadian society as a whole in the future. Mr. Chairman, I believe that number should be a $7.00 return to Canadian society as a whole in the future. Students who receive a good foundation for learning through a quality early childhood education are significantly more likely to graduate from high school and university. Human Resources and Development Canada have proved a direct correlation between education levels and reliance on income support programs. The higher the level of education, the less likely a person is to collect unemployment or social assistance. Members would also point out that there would be reduced costs to the department's day care program.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs will be pressing the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to examine the positive effects of expanding the NWT's kindergarten program.

Student Financial Assistance Program

The Standing Committee on Social Programs has requested further information on the department's new interest relief plan. While members can see the benefit of an interest relief plan for students who do not have the financial wherewithal to pay back their loans as determined by a means test, there is a concern that the interest relief plan is too narrow in its scope resulting in very little uptake.

Members of the committee believe that if the real intent of the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy is to encourage students to return to the North and use their skills in developing our economy, other government programs, such as the Student Financial Assistance Program, should complement that intent.

Under the present system, there is no incentive for a student with a significant student loan beyond what is remissible, to return to the North. The student can find employment elsewhere and make the same payments on the loan as if they were domiciled in the Northwest Territories. If the government was to consider making the interest on student loans remissible, it might encourage students to return to the North. The student would still be expected to repay the principal of the loan, but would have the interest remised if they lived in the Northwest Territories. Another possibility would be making student loan interest an exemption under the territorial income tax regime.

The committee was disappointed that the department had not yet dealt with the issue of how distance education programs would be dealt with under the student loan program. Members do look forward to reviewing the details of how the department will deal with distance education under the Student Financial Assistance Program in June of 2002.

Day Care Programs

Members were pleased that the Minister managed to secure an extra $1 million in funding for day care programs. Members understand that the extra funding will be used to increase the daily subsidy to licensed day care operators and to increase the subsidy to low-income parents.

While both of these funding increases will in no doubt reduce some of the strains on the day care system, there is still a concern at the committee level that there is more the department could be doing to help day care operators.

Members note that non-profit associations run many of the licensed day care providers and are reliant on volunteer board members. Many of these associations have experienced difficulties in attracting board members with the right skill sets to efficiently run a successful non-profit venture.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs believes one area the department should concentrate on is providing administrative support to day care operators/volunteer organizations. As an example, day care in the Dogrib region is administered through the Dogrib Community Services Board. This has meant significant savings through a centralized administration process and has resulted in quality day care in the region.

It was noted that the Minister spoke of working with the City of Yellowknife to streamline day care operations within Yellowknife. Committee members look forward to further information on any success.

The City of Yellowknife and the larger regional centres may have the capacity within the local government to become involved in the administration/support of local day care operations. However, it is clear to Members that the smaller communities would still need support from the department.

Recommendation

The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment assist local day care operators in dealing with their administrative burden and by offering quality support and advice to volunteer boards.

Mr. Chairman, with your consent, I would now like to ask if the Member for Great Slave can continue with the committee report.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On to the topic of the Aboriginal Language Strategy.

Aboriginal Language Strategy

During the review of the main estimates, the department provided the Standing Committee on Social Programs a briefing on the Aboriginal Language Strategy. Many of the concepts, such as language nests, have been successful in other parts of the world where language and its associated culture has been in danger of being assimilated by a dominant culture.

Members of the committee note that the implementation of many of the facets of the Aboriginal Language Strategy will require buy-in from the local education authorities. Members are concerned the strategy assumes large volunteer participation by fluent members of a language group and that this may be a significant challenge in this day and age.

The strategy contains no money to provide remuneration to those people who get involved in the language nests. The committee wonders if there has been any interest expressed by persons eager to volunteer for this concept.

Members note that the Maori language nests that the department is holding up as the example of the success of such programs are staffed by paid members of the New Zealand Public Service called Kahanga Reo Kaiako.

The standing committee notes that many parts of the strategy are in the development phase and believes that the department has a lot of work to do before it can implement its Aboriginal Language Strategy.

On a related subject, Members remain concerned that the development of standards and certification for aboriginal translators and interpreters appears stalled. Committee members strongly believe that the lack of certification is impacting the ability of aboriginal Northerners to earn a living providing interpreter/translation services. Employers may be reluctant to pay aboriginal interpreter/translators the same as certified French interpreter/translators because of concerns about professional standards.

Towards Excellence

Members noted that the last Report on Education in the Northwest Territories: Towards Excellence was released in February 2000 for the school year 1998-1999. Members are disappointed that the department has not kept up with the original promise to release this report every second year and strongly encourage the department to keep the report current. Committee members look forward to seeing the next report by June 1st, 2002 as promised by the Minister.

Members would also like to see student debt load for post-secondary students included as one of the indicators included in Towards Excellence: A Report on Education in the Northwest Territories. Members are concerned the redesign of the Student Financial Assistance Program may adversely affect Northerners by putting an onerous debt load on returning students.

Recommendation

The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment track student debt load as one of the indicators in Towards Excellence: A Report on Education in the Northwest Territories.

Adult Basic Education

Members noted that basic literacy programs are available in most communities. However, for students to advance past the basic literacy stage it is necessary for them to take accredited high school courses. It is understood that some of these high school courses are available on-line and can be accessed by students in the learning centres and after hours in the schools. Members believe that there must also be a resource person available to these students to provide tutoring assistance and technical support. Simple access to the necessary computer hardware and software will not ensure success.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio versus Student Support Services

The Standing Committee on Social Programs is extremely pleased that the department increased funding to decrease the pupil-teacher ratio in advance of the legislated requirement. This has meant that more money will be made available to the school boards for the provision of instructional services in these main estimates. However, members note that increased funding for the pupil-teacher ratio does not always relate directly to the actual number of students in a classroom. This is because the funding for pupil-teacher ratios can be used by the education authorities to fund positions like language and cultural specialists, guidance counsellors, vice-principals and shop and phys-ed teachers, or even to provide bussing.

So, even with the increase in funding to decrease the pupil-teacher ratio, it is possible that in some schools no increase in support will reach the students and teachers in the classroom. The requirement to increase support to teachers and students in the classroom was made very clear in the 2000 Student Support Needs Assessment.

Instead of putting all of the additional funding into the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio, members of the standing committee proposed that the estimated $900,000 that would be necessary to meet next year's legislated requirement for student support funding be advanced to this year's main estimates. The department can then use the remaining additional funding to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in this fiscal year and then meet the legislated requirement next year by using the $900,000 that would have been used to meet the student support requirements.

Members passed this proposal on to the Accountability and Oversight committee in order that a recommendation could be made to the government to change the main estimates in advance of their presentation to the Legislative Assembly. We are very pleased that the Minister and the government accepted this recommendation.

Private Sector Development Fund

Members noted that this part of the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy was very poorly advertised. This is the section of the strategy that provides funding support to private business so they can hire student interns.

Members received complaints from constituent business owners that they were unaware that the program was available and were not afforded an opportunity to apply for funding.

The standing committee recognizes the department was rushed in rolling out and setting up the parameters for funding eligibility and does not believe that there were any improprieties in funding allocation.

The Minister has committed to improving communication of the private sector development fund to the business community and ensuring a fair and equitable approval process. Members of the committee were satisfied with this commitment until it was noted that the government had taken out a four-page ad, at the fold, advertising the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy and highlighting the private sector development fund in the January edition of the Far North Oil and Gas Review.

An examination of similar publications published at the same time and aimed at the mining and construction sectors revealed no such advertising. Members of the committee are now concerned that the government is only targeting the oil and gas sector for funding under the private sector development fund.

Nursing Program at Aurora College

Members of the standing committee remain convinced that the expansion of the Nursing Program at Aurora College is one of the Northwest Territories best options for ensuring a high quality, adequately staffed health care system. It is understood that the further expansion of the program is hindered by the lack of mentors and training opportunities available at the Stanton Regional Hospital.

That being said, there has been no evidence presented to the committee that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Department of Health and Social Services, Aurora College and Stanton Regional Hospital have been working together to find ways to maximize opportunities to enrol more nurses into the nursing program.

Apprenticeship Training

The Standing Committee on Social Programs notes that funding for apprenticeship training has remained the same as contained in last year's main estimates. Members are extremely concerned that with all of the resource development projects expected in the next few years there may not be enough funding available for all interested Northerners to take advantage of apprenticeship opportunities.

The Minister did reassure the members that no NWT resident who qualified for an apprenticeship has been turned down yet. Members believe there is a need for the department to closely monitor and work with the resource developers to identify and fund apprenticeship positions.

Members note that we need a variety of different paths for young people to achieve their education, and with the tremendous potential for jobs in the trades, there needs to be more emphasis on programs like the Schools North Apprenticeship Program (SNAP). The committee has been a strong supporter of SNAP and members are disappointed that there has not been a significant expansion in the numbers of students participating in the program. The committee expects the department to make increased uptake a priority in the next fiscal year.

Literacy Funding to Organizations

Finally, Mr. Chairman, information provided to the committee during the main estimates indicated that the majority of funding in the Literacy Strategy listed under literacy funding for organizations actually was used to fund literacy activities in other departments. The committee does not argue with the need for funding the Department of Justice for literacy programs in the correctional centres. However, there was consensus that listing such funding under, Literacy Funding to Organizations, was a misnomer and that the main estimates should be changed to reflect that it now involves transfers to other departments.

Mr. Chairman, that ends the report of the standing committee on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chairman.