Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, first of all, I would like to touch on the Early Childhood Small Community Initiative that’s been allocated, approximately $600,000. This is to increase a half-time position in the Sahtu and Deh Cho regions and also in Fort Smith and Inuvik from one position to 1.5. That’s an additional $250,000. An increase in the early childhood programs that we talked about in the small, remote communities. So we’ve identified funding for that as well. The funding in addition to the $600,000 for the Early Childhood Small Community Initiative is Early Childhood Program territorial-wide increase, so combined will be $1.2 million in the early childhood area.
In the capital program for daycares, as Members have asked about adequate space for child care, of course, it’s an important piece of work ahead of us. An increase in subsidies may help some requirements. So those are the areas that we continue to improve on, Mr. Chair. There is also rent and mortgage subsidies that have been added.
The high schools in small communities... There has been talk about access in the trades area. Mr. Chair, there has been some initiatives underway, whether it be providing laptops to the grade 12 students in small, isolated communities and infrastructure contribution, as well, through CTS, career and technology facilities. So we’ve made some investment in that area.
Another area that we are focussing on is on our technology, upgrading our systems that we have in
place, just focussing on the education factor, the broadband centre of...(inaudible)...services.
The high school in Sachs has been brought to our attention. Of course, it is of importance and we need to discuss that further. We need to work closely with the education councils that we have in all regions. When it comes to issues that are being addressed, we will continue to work with them, because we do provide funding based on enrolment. So those are the challenges that have been put before us. So we will work with the school boards.
The elders in schools have been brought up before. Of course, elders are an important source of knowledge in our schools. They provide wisdom and experience through our education system. I haven’t really ignored this area because it is of importance to our department to have that in our school system. We have been trying to get around the system of them not being penalized, whether it be their pension or old age security. So those are the ongoing discussions we are having and we’re trying to come up with a strategic plan to move forward. We also work with education councils in this respect, working with the superintendents.
Mr. Chair, board reform has been brought up as well. This, as you know, there is still encouraging and supporting great collaboration among the various groups, the boards and agencies. We continue to work with other departments as well, interdepartmental areas. So we continue to have that dialogue, but we’ll certainly be asking for more information from the school boards themselves, because we need to compile the information that we need to work with. So we will be seeking input in these areas of collaboration. Mr. Chair, those are the ongoing communications that we’re having with the regions.
Another area that has been brought to our attention through this discussion is, of course, and even earlier today, is the Ecole Allain St-Cyr addition. This is part of the discussion that will occur through the consultation 10-year education plan that’s scheduled for Yellowknife. That particular school is part of the plan. Consultants have been hired to provide that service. So this particular information will be helpful for the next capital planning process.
The school in Tuk, Mangilaluk School. DK Consulting was hired to do a complete educational plan. It has been completed. Now it lays out what needs to be done. That will be in the works for the next capital planning process. They’re compiling that information that we can work with within our department.
Mr. Chair, the official languages. That is of great importance for us. The GNWT tabled the interim response, as you are aware, in the Legislative Assembly in the fall of 2009. We want to provide more of an in-depth implementation plan on
responding to these questions that were thrown at us, the recommendations. So we are developing a strategy to deal with those matters. Not only that, Mr. Chair, but involving aboriginal groups, aboriginal organizations. We are having a language symposium, as you are aware, at the end of March/beginning of April. Based on the outcome of that, we will definitely develop a comprehensive strategy and develop an implementation plan for each language group.
On the income security that has been brought up on numerous occasions, there has been some core delivery of courses with some improvement. The highest quality of service is part of our priority that we continue to provide those services in a timely and efficient manner, as best as we can as a department. Of course, there have been expressive concerns of customer services, questioning the customer service aspect of it, community relations. So those are the areas that we continue to improve on.
Mr. Chair, there are other areas that have been addressed: the O and M and mostly in the income security area where we’ve made some changes. As I indicated earlier, there’s been an additional increase in caseloads that we are currently dealing with. As we move forward, we’ll definitely provide more detailed information on that.
Mr. Chair, a lot of discussion or questions pertaining to education can be dealt with as we get to the details of it, but inclusive schooling, the funding that’s been highlighted, the Member has indicated there’s been a decrease. We can certainly elaborate more when we are at those detailed stages, but this also hinges on the enrolment that we’re challenged with in all schools. So we continue to work with the school boards and how we can improve in those areas.
So, Mr. Chair, those are just some of the highlights of the opening comments that Members have shared with us and I’ll continue to provide more detailed information and also respond to Members’ additional opening comments. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.