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.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
Mahsi, Mr.
Chair. The
Purchased Services was transferred to PWS for mailroom services. The Fees and Payments, Management Services, $35,000 increase, is through internal reallocation to cover that increase in accounting software maintenance costs. If I miss out on any, Mr. Devitt can certainly elaborate.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Paul Devitt
Mr. Chair, if I understood, part of the question was also about what types of things were included under Purchased Services. It includes things like freight, communications, courier charges, postal, I think would be the main items that we have budgeted there.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
If I could trouble the Minister, could we go through the same process for Contract Services, Fees and Payments and Other? Other is listed at over $2 million, so this seems to be a significant number to go without some type of breakout.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Paul Devitt
Mr. Chair, I’ll just highlight some of the larger items.
In the case of Contract Services, it would be the systems contracts that are located there, and that’s about $400,000. There are also some other smaller amounts. Fees and Payments would include.... Things like software licences would be a substantial component of that. The largest item referred to by the Member is the Other. Almost all of this is for the chargebacks paid for TSC and central systems. Then the computer hardware and software component for the Evergreen is budgeted under computer hardware and software for the TSC.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Mr. Chairman, just a little further on those other expenses, I understand we have a chargeback that really speaks to the lion’s share, if
not all of that money: the $2.129 million. I’m just curious as to why it’s so high in just the directorate. Although you cite 32 employees under the directorate, are you picking up the expenses for anyone else, such as the school boards or any other association? I just find it a little large, that’s all. Could you explain if it encompasses just the directorate or where else it goes?
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Paul Devitt
Mr.
Chair, $3.3 million of the
approximately $3.9 million budgeted in other expenses is for systems. This includes systems for the whole department and, as well, the chargebacks for across government, which are about $2.4 million of this. That explains why it’s such a large amount.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair David Krutko
We’re on page 8-13. Directorate and Administration Activity Summary, Operations Expenditure Summary, $7.841 million.
Department of Education, Culture and
Employment, Activity Summary, Directorate and Administration, Operations Expenditure Summary: $7.841 million, approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair David Krutko
Page 8-14, information item, Directorate and Administration, Active Positions.
Department of Education, Culture and
Employment, Activity Summary, Directorate and Administration, Active Positions, information item (page 8-14), approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair David Krutko
Page 8-15, information item, Directorate and Administration, Active Positions.
Department of Education, Culture and
Employment, Activity Summary, Directorate and Administration, Active Positions, information item (page 8-15), approved.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair David Krutko
Page 8-17, Education and Culture, Activity Summary, Operations Expenditure Summary, $173.231 million. Mr. Hawkins.
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to seek a little information on this page. I just want to get a sense as to what new initiatives are planned under the arts area. I believe that falls under the Culture and Heritage division, possibly. Could the Minister expand on where some of that $500,000 will start to appear, as initiatives, that is?
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Education, Culture And Employment
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Jackson Lafferty Monfwi
Mahsi, Mr.
Chair. The
breakdown on the $500,000 that’s before us: the Arts Council and the Northern Performers, $65,000; the new northern theatre arts for youth focus, $50,000; the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre,
increased $80,000; cultural projects, $35,000; cultural organization, $70,000; registered heritage centres, $100,000; new emerging heritage centres, $50,000; and contract services program planning and development, $50,000.
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
Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre
At this time I’d like to move a motion. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the government take immediate action to reinstate funding in the amount of $110,000 for the proposed elimination of the coordinator of assessment and evaluation position under the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, under the Education and Culture activity.
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 David Krutko
The motion is in order. The motion has been circulated. To the motion. Mr. Hawkins.
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
The reason I’m moving this motion is because I feel very strongly about what they do in this position. They work with the school boards. In a time when we talk about accountability to ensure that our education system is meeting the needs of the students — obviously the ones we want to teach— I think it’s principled to make sure we have our system running in a fine-tuned way. That said, we have a person here who does the work to ensure the system is working properly, it’s communicating and it is providing good value. I'm just nervous at this time to hear that this position will be re-profiled in such a way that it’s being eliminated, but yet some of the duties are being pushed off to other areas.
As for the document Towards Excellence right now, I'm probably not a good judge to say if we could live without it. The question is if it's a valued product. I think this whole strategy sort of needs to be thought out a little further.
As far as losing the Alberta achievement tests, it's kind of like these things come and go. This week the flavour is "Let's save some money here." That may be the end result, and it may work fine. But I wouldn't be surprised if we have a new initiative in two years, where someone turns around and says, "These are important things. How do we live without them?" So I'm just worried.
I know the Department of Education probably didn't pick this decision out of a hat, but I'm just cautious at this time to assume that enough work went into
this strategy to figure out who is going to do this. It's my understanding that this is quite technical work and requires not just integrity in the sense of competency. There's a lot to it, and just to let it fall in someone's lap and to say, "You're now going to do this duty," I can't imagine that there are too many individuals who will be running forward to say they want to do this strategy and analysis on this work.
I would define this as weakening our education system, when we constantly talk about how important it is and how we continue to deliver quality education programming. More often than not we hear about the fact that people don't feel as if there's a balanced system throughout the North, and I think this provides those types of strengths.
We talked about it at length earlier, and I don't think I need to continue any further than that. But I would like to request a recorded vote on this when it comes time to vote. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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
Some Honourable Members
Question.
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 David Krutko
Question is being called. A request for a recorded vote. All those in favour, please rise.
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
Principal Clerk Of Committees (Ms. Russell)
Mr.
Hawkins, Mr.
Beaulieu, Ms. Bisaro,
Mr. Bromley,
Mr. Abernethy,
Mr. Menicoche,
Mr.
Ramsay, Mrs. Groenewegen, Mr.
Robert
McLeod.
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
Principal Clerk Of Committees (Ms. Russell)
Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Lee, Mr. Miltenberger, Mr. Roland, Mr. Michael
McLeod,
Mr. Yakeleya,
Mr. Bob
McLeod.
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 David Krutko
Results of the vote are: nine in favour, zero against, seven abstentions.
Motion carried.
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
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