Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to update this House on the ongoing work and achievements of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as we progress towards the vision of the 16th Assembly -- Northerners Working Together -- particularly the goals of healthy, educated people and diverse economies that provide all communities and regions with opportunities and choices.
ECE’s 10-year strategic plan predates this Assembly’s vision, but the direction this Assembly has laid out has allowed us or enabled us to enhance improved plans and become more effective for the people of the Northwest Territories. The department has a very broad mandate and the work we undertake spans all five strategic initiative committees: Managing This Land, Refocusing Government, Building Our Future, Maximizing Opportunities, and Reducing the Cost of Living. Most of our work falls within Building Our Future, Maximizing Opportunities, and Reducing the Cost of Living.
Today I would like to provide some information about the work in which the department is currently engaged in. One of our most fundamental roles is to enable the provision of kindergarten to Grade 12 education. We are fortunate to work with some very progressive, engaged school boards whose commitment and dedication serve to improve our education system and contribute to the ongoing success of our students. Our student graduation rates have never been higher and, while we always look to improve them, I want to commend the students who have worked so hard to invest in their
futures and the teachers who have guided them. Part of the curriculum is Northern Studies, where our children can learn about the North, its culture, and its history. As well, aboriginal languages are studied in our schools as part of the broad plan to encourage and revitalize languages. I will discuss this plan more later on.
We are very pleased by how many students are encouraging elders into the classroom, to share their knowledge and wisdom with the students and bring together those just starting out in life and those who have experienced it to its fullest. It takes a community to educate a child. We are currently undertaking an Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative to bridge the gap between aboriginal and non-aboriginal students in which industry and many other partners are playing a part. This project is just starting out, but so far it is receiving the support and participation of many stakeholders, such as Dene Nation, Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, Metis Association, school superintendants, and the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, businesses and other GNWT departments. Their work is the result of consultation advice from our partners, from MLAs and from concerns we have heard from the public. As a result of this initiative, in the near future we hope to be able to report that attendance has increased and that aboriginal students are more engaged in the classroom than ever before.
Our capital plan continues to support a healthy learning environment, with three new schools currently being built and three existing schools being renovated in the plan. We continually receive more capital requests than we can fulfill, but with the support and guidance of Members of this House we are confident we can meet those requirements in a measured and equitable way that addresses our most compelling need.
Literacy is a critical part of the ECE plan. Guided by our strategy towards literacy, we focus on literacy across the lifespan in all official languages, with an increased emphasis on youth and the importance literacy plays in their lives. We support the development of libraries, virtual libraries and the borrow-by-mail system to enhance any services that may not be available in the communities.
Mr. Speaker, the work that Education, Culture and Employment is undertaking with its partners to improve adult education and career and employment development specifically in the area of apprenticeship and occupation certification has been very successful. Since the review of the Apprenticeship Program we have increased investment for the trades and are seeing an increase in the number of apprentices enrolled in our programs across the Northwest Territories. Our partnership with the Mine Training Society has had a tremendous impact on Northerners. Coupled with
the Mining Workforce Initiative, we can report that in a relatively small amount of time Northerners have been provided with access to on-the-ground mine training and improved community access to mine opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, as well, since Aurora College took delivery of mine simulators, their policy of mine training has improved and, as a result, Northerners are entering mining careers with improved technical and safety skills. As well, Aurora College and many partners added a mobile trades training unit in the Beaufort-Delta region and are expecting significantly more students to be able to take advantage of this type of training where they can access it in their own community.
ECE also has a new Teacher Education Program Strategy where increased investments are being made to allow Aurora College to expand into the community delivery of the Teacher Education Program and also Aboriginal Language and Culture Instructors Program. We have seen much success in the community delivery of the Behchoko program and will continue to use this model in other regions throughout the Northwest Territories.
Aurora College is also delivering a Masters in Nursing Program for the first time. Mr. Speaker, these programs will support the recruitment and retention of professionals in the Northwest Territories.
This session I will be providing Members with more details on the NWT Nominee Program which we have successfully negotiated with the Government of Canada. This has been a long time coming. Members have been lobbying for the program for some time now. We are pleased to say that we will begin the implementation of this program in July and I will offer Members more details later this session.
As well, we are pleased to announce that in addition to expanding our agreements with the federal government for the Labour Market Development Agreement and the Targeted Initiative for Older Workers, Education, Culture and Employment has also been successful in negotiating a labour market agreement with the Government of Canada that will provide more opportunities for NWT residents to participate in career and employment development opportunities in the labour market and provide a healthy future for themselves and their families. Again, I will offer Members more detail about this later in the session.
Mr. Speaker, the arts and culture are really important to our residents and the Members of this House. We often hear that we should invest more money in these areas. I am pleased to say that ECE has increased its investments in the arts. We are supporting the participation of our artists in the 2010 Olympics. Artists will have the unprecedented opportunity to showcase their unique talent and sell
the fruits of their labour to a waiting world. We are currently in the process of selecting a cross-section of artists who represent the Northwest Territories and we will be reporting to the Members on the success this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will certainly bring.
As well, NWT museums continue to headline the most important tourist “must-sees” in our Territory. The Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Museum is unrivalled for its northern comprehensive archives and diverse exhibits and strives to be better, bolder and more exciting with every new presentation.
Mr. Speaker, one of the most important services ECE provides is that of income security. At the tail end of the 15th Assembly, we completed a
comprehensive review of the Income Security Program that resulted in an overhaul in the way we deliver services that is much more tailored to the needs of our residents. ECE has expanded ECE service centres to more remote communities and now provides information, increased access to a combination of income security programs and other developmental programs that together help residents achieve individual goals of self-reliance.
Mr. Speaker, we are currently planning a review of the Public Housing Rental Subsidy Program. We have sought the advice of Members into what should go into this review. In the coming months we hope to review the findings of our consultations with Members and seek guidance on the best path to take as we move forward.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to end by talking about our work on official languages. Recently, Members of this House went through a thoughtful and detailed piece of work on the review of the Official Languages Act, and I thank them for their commitment to this important project. We have much work to do in this area but we are pleased to report some meaningful progress. The French language service window has been up and running for some months now and has been very successful. As well, we are undertaking a review of the aboriginal languages to understand where to direct our resources according to the needs of our aboriginal residents. We have increased funding to language nests that allow young children and adults to develop language skills together.
Mr. Speaker, we see this as a very important component to the healthy development of our languages. Unless languages are used in the home, they will continue to be at risk. I know many elders advocate strongly for their languages, not the least of which is our newly appointed Languages Commissioner, Ms. Sarah Jerome, who we congratulate on her appointment and are very much looking forward to working with on this important and rewarding challenge.
Mr. Speaker, as you can see, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is working
hard for the people of the Northwest Territories to fulfill the goals of this Assembly. I would like to thank all the staff for their hard work and commitment. We appreciate you all. Mr. Speaker, we also appreciate the guidance, the wisdom and support of the Members of this House. Your input and experience is invaluable as we move forward to make the Northwest Territories a better place to live and work. We can all be proud of our past and work hard today for a promising future that we can all build together. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.