I will take that as a commitment, and I look forward to seeing that coming down my way. Mr.
Chairman, I
thank the Minister for his
willingness to look into that problem.
Debates of June 9th, 2008
This is page numbers 993 to 1058 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 2nd 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 education.
Topics
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
Thank you,
Mr. Hawkins. No question. We’re on page 8-18, Activity Summary, Education and Culture, Program Delivery Details: $173.231 million.
Department of Education, Culture and
Employment, Activity Summary, Education and Culture, Program Delivery Details: $173.231 million, approved.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Glen Abernethy
On page 8-19, Activity Summary, Education and Culture, Grants and Contributions, Grants: $52,000 and Contributions.
Department of Education, Culture and
Employment, Activity Summary, Education and Culture, Grants and Contributions: $52,000, approved.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m just trying to get some clarity as to what the professional development fees work out to in this instance. Could we have an explanation as to what they are for the NWTTA Professional Improvement
Fund? Is this for courses and training and whatnot? I’m just trying to get an understanding as to what the money goes to.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
June 8th, 2008
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Daniels
Yes, it is something that goes toward the professional development of members of the NWTTA.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Is this usually a difficult point — to satisfy the teachers? When we talk about not being able to pay people a certain way because of our collective agreements and whatnot, is this an area where we are able to show our respect, in the sense of funding, and appreciation to that sector that we’re trying to employ? Especially when we talk about a small community, when it’s difficult to get them in there.... The fact that we’re able to — well, let’s call it what it is, really — pad their benefits program in order to encourage them to stay out there. Because quite often we’ll find that they’re already behind the eight ball when it comes to renting houses or finding happy choices and lifestyles in a small community.
My issue, really, on this one, is to be able to find an appropriate balance. It’s easy to say we appreciate and respect them. It’s another thing when it comes to really doing it. I want to make sure we’re giving that type of consideration and make sure we can. I mean, we just heard here recently that Mr. Jacobson’s area in Nunakput just had a flood of staffing, and now they’re restaffing. I just heard that from the Minister the other day through question period. But the fact is that if we’re having challenges keeping staff there, what are we doing to make sure we can keep them there? Is this an area the government could look at to ensure that we can make sure teachers are happy?
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We have been providing this contribution to the NWTTA Professional Improvement Fund for quite some time now, specifically for professional development in an area where teachers, whether they go on conference or to a workshop, especially those new teachers as well — going out on the land, as part of the orientation to the new schools, as the Member is referring to…. Some new recruits are coming in not knowing the community. Certainly it is an area in the development stage, so we have committed, and we will continue to do so. Mahsi.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Under Early Childhood programs, I see there’s little bump-up there — cost of living or
whatever. We’ve got a sterling record of losing our child care centres, certainly in Yellowknife. I know there are big struggles in the small communities. The general feedback I get from organizations and individuals that try and operate these facilities is that they need 100 per cent funding for the first two years, while they get sign-up and so on — get operating.
Could the Minister tell me how many child care centres and family day-homes are being supported and whether there’s any increase to the support for those, recognizing that we’ve been losing them and they need some attention?
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
What I have before me is approximately 27 different organizations throughout the North, and also 73 additional recipients with less than a $20,000 contribution. So 73 plus 27 — we can say close to 100 different organizations have access to contributions.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thanks for that information. Is there a trend in the number of those facilities and the number of the children in care in those facilities? Do we know?
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Paul Devitt
The trend in terms of licensed child care spaces for children has been an increase, say, from 2002–2003, when we had 1,269 licensed spaces. In 2007–08 we had 1,768 licensed spaces in the Territories.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
I see that our funding has gone down considerably in the last few years, as well as the value of those dollars. I wonder what the explanation can be for that and for closing facilities in Yellowknife.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Paul Devitt
Mr.
Chair, I don't have a specific
explanation for the closure of any particular facility, so I'd have to take that under consideration or ask the Minister to address it.
The funding itself — the amount of funding given per child was actually increased last year, I think, by approximately 30 per cent.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
That's great. I wonder if it would be possible to get some information on the distribution of those 27 main facilities and the number of children in those facilities at some point.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
Certainly we can provide what we have before us, the 27 different organizations, and also…. That was '06–07 actuals, the Early Childhood Program, the $3.3 million and the actual children in the facility the Member is referring to. We'll gather that information and provide it.
Twenty-seven of those organizations are additional recipients of this $20,000. They do add up to 117 for '07–08, and the number I'm referring to was '06–07. So '07–08 is 117. We certainly can provide that detailed information to the committee. Mahsi.
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Can I get some explanation for the Healthy Choices Initiative? Exactly what that is?
Committee Motion 34-16(2) To Reinstate $110,000 For The Coordinator Assessment And Evaluation Position, Department Of Education, Culture And Employment, Under The Education And Culture Activity (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters