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.