The Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We will return to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a great honour to recognize undoubtedly our most famous former NWT resident, Leslie Nielsen.

---Applause

All of us have seen many of his movies. He's produced over 75 that I can count and he told me last night a lot more than that. Mr. Nielsen spent a number of years as a young child in Tulita where his father was a member of the RCMP, and took the Tulita Unity Accord as an opportunity to go back and visit his home town. Mr. Nielsen, welcome to our Legislative Assembly.

With him are Judi MacDonald and Grafton Cole-MacDonald from Calgary who are accompanying Mr. Nielsen. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize one of the esteemed Members of our Legislature from the Sahtu -- we missed him today -- Mr. Yakeleya.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we have missed anything in the gallery today, welcome to the gallery. Welcome to the proceedings of the House. It's always nice to have an audience.

First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 18, Bill 19, Bill 21, Committee Report 5-15(5), Committee Report 7-15(5), Committee Report 8-15(5) and Committee Report 9-15(5), with Mr. Ramsay in the chair.

Thank you, committee. We have a number of items before us today. I will ask what is the wish of committee? Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 21, Appropriation Act 2007-2008, specifically Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. We will do that after a short break.

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Good afternoon I will call the committee back to order here. Today we are going to be discussing Education, Culture and Employment. Does committee agree?

At this time, I would like to ask the Minister responsible, Mr. Dent, for his opening comments.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Our vision of northern people leading fulfilled lives and contributing to a strong and prosperous society is the driving force behind the direction we set for the department in its strategic plan, Building on Our Success, and in the 20907-08 Main Estimates we bring forward today.

The 2007-08 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment total over $286 million. These estimates represent a 10 percent increase over last year's budget and include significant increases to fund early childhood development, inclusive schooling, school trades and physical activity, literacy, college and income security programs. They also include significant increases to pay for the higher cost of fuel, collective agreements and infrastructure.

I would like to highlight a few key activities of the department and how they will contribute to our vision for northern people.

Education And Culture

First, within the education and culture activity of the department, we propose to spend $170.2 million in programs and services to residents of the NWT. Spending in this area includes money for early childhood development programs and schools, as well as language, cultural and heritage programs.

Early Childhood Development

Early childhood program activities complement the early learning provided at home and in our communities. They help to provide children with a healthy start in life and give them the learning tools they need to succeed in school and beyond. For 2007-08, we plan to spend $5.7 million on early childhood development activities.

Mr. Chairman, the department is budgeting $843,000 more for subsidizing the operation of childcare centres and family day homes in 2007-08.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. At this time, I would like to call on Ms. Lee for her opening comments on behalf of the Social Programs committee.

Department Of Education, Culture And Employment

Introduction

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the committee met with the Minister and his officials on Monday, September 22, 2006, to review the draft business plan of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

Members considered the draft main estimates, including the changes to the budget of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment since the committee reviewed the business plan in September, on January 16, 2007.

Committee members made note that the department is proposing to spend $286.150 million in operations expense and $40.445 million on capital projects in fiscal year 2007-2008.

Committee members offer the following comments on issues arising out of the review of the 2007-2008 budget-planning cycle.

Early Childhood Development (Day Care)

Since the review of the business plans in September, the department added $1 million to the base for early childhood development. This new funding is being split between $600,000 in funding for the start-up and operation of licensed childcare centres and family day homes, and $400,000 to increase childcare user subsidies. This funding will be welcomed by licensed day care operators and should alleviate some of the immediate strains on the system.

However, there are still concerns in communities over the lack of suitable facilities to locate day care programs. Increasing funding for start-up costs may help a few communities reprofile existing facilities to house a day care program, but will not help communities that have no suitable facilities in the public or private sectors.

The committee will be tracking this issue and offering comments in the transition document to the next Assembly.

Language And Cultural Instructor Program At Aurora College

During the review of the business plan, committee members expressed their concern that the Language and Cultural Instructor Program was not being delivered on a full-time basis at any of the Aurora College campuses or in any interested communities.

If schools are to be successful in delivering aboriginal language and cultural activities in the schools and out on the land, it is important that the people leading the classes have an understanding of classroom theory as well as being grounded in their traditional knowledge.

The committee is pleased that the department was able secure funding to run a two-year LCIP program beginning in the 2007-2008 Aurora College schedule.

Capital Projects Costing

Members remain concerned with the increases in costs for capital projects. It is clear that the only role for legislators is to approve the initial start to a project. The numbers and project scope that are approved at that time have no relation to the final actual costs or project. Two examples would include the Deh Cho Bridge, where bids came in nearly $50 million more than expected, and the schools in Inuvik, which have seen their estimates increase nearly every year as the details were worked out.

It is understood that increases in the prices of building material and the shortage of skilled tradespeople make it difficult for the Department of Public Works and Services to provide solid financial numbers for large scale projects that may take up to six years to complete.

However, there are examples, like the Territorial Treatment Centre in Hay River, where, in the minds of committee members, proper planning was not undertaken in advance of the project getting into the capital plan.

In this example, Members had been asked to approve a renovation to an existing facility and were disturbed to see, some months later, a tender call for the demolition of the facility. Finally, a determination was made that it made economic sense to renovate. The committee believes that this is the type of work that should be completed prior to any project being included in the capital plan.

This is an issue that will be tracked and commented on by various Members during the review of the main estimates. It will also be mentioned as an issue for the 16th Assembly in the transition document.

Mr. Chairman, that concludes the report of the Standing Committee on Social Programs on the Department of ECE.

Thank you, Mr. Lee. At this time, I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in any witnesses.

Yes, please, Mr. Chairman.

Sergeant-at-Arms, can you escort the witnesses in, please? Does committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Can you introduce your witnesses, please?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me today the deputy minister for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dan Daniels; and, director of finance and administration, Mr. Paul Devitt.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. General comments. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A short general comment noting that the fiscal size of this department this year, this current year...