This is page numbers 4023 - 4060 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 4th 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 school.

Topics

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Education.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I guess the reason why it’s not reflected in this budget is that work is still being collaborated with the regional boards, whether it be the schools, the health, the housing, but nothing has been changed at this point. As we move forward, as I stated earlier, there will be more discussion that will be taking place. But, Mr. Chairman, the Member is asking if there have been any changes. No, there has not been any change. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

My question was not so much whether there has been any change to date but what is being contemplated for this next fiscal year. This issue was extremely volatile and piqued the interest of many residents and particularly the education authorities. So the Minister states that they are working on it. I wonder if he can tell us what sorts of things they are working on and what changes might be contemplated that they are going to be working on. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

We will be asking the boards to provide to the department a summary of the current system that they have and just an ad hoc process, the practice that they have done for years; some of the activities that allow greater collaboration between the boards and agencies in the regions. With that in mind, we will be seeking

input into areas of collaboration from our department to the regional boards and also case management to strengthen in that regard. We are also very interested in identifying ways to improve the overall accountability and reporting by the boards. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

One other question. The Minister mentioned earlier today when he was talking about Ecole Allain St-Cyr, I think, that there is a 10-year education plan that is underway that, I think, is being developed now at this point in time. I wondered if he could advise if that is the case and if he could advise when this 10-year education plan or facilities education plan will be available and complete. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Part of the plan will be to have that package... We are hoping to have it available April 2010. So we are looking forward to that so we can start thinking about the future capital plans. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

On Page 10-13, Education, Culture and Employment, activity summary, directorate and administration, operations expenditure summary, $10 million. Agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Moving on to page 10-14, Education, Culture and Employment, information item, directorate and administration, active positions. Agreed?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Page 10-17, Education, Culture and Employment, education and culture, operations expenditure summary, $181 million. Mr. Bromley.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thank you Mr. Chairman. A couple of things. First of all, I am wondering, I spoke earlier in the House, and the Minister did, about what our actual need is for child care spaces and particularly for infants, but certainly for all child care needs territory-wide. I believe the Minister is going to work on that, but I just want to stress that this would be a useful statistic to have and to help evaluate how this program is going. We are doing some good work to build on this program and I am very happy to see this. It is time that we started to have some good evaluation happening and one thing that I think would be very useful would be the development of needs. How many child care spaces do we need in the entire Northwest Territories and where are we at in providing those? That is just a comment.

On the official languages side, I understand that the Standing Committee on Government Operations requested a comprehensive response to their review of the Official Languages Act for the May

sitting. I am wondering if we are on target for providing that. I will just start there, thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Minister.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. When we presented that in the fall time to provide a comprehensive response to the recommendations that are brought forward, we continue to work with different language organizations, language groups in the communities, just looking forward to this Aboriginal Language Symposium. Out of that we will produce a strategic plan to deal more in-depth of the discussion that needs to take place on recommendations. So I would say yes, at this point we are on par, but there is more work to be done. So, Mr. Chairman, those are the areas that we continue to have our priority in place. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

That is really good to hear that we are on par, that we are on schedule. I look forward to that at our next sitting here. I know in the response that was provided, there was quite a number of recommendations that the Minister agreed to and that there was a commitment to providing updates on those as they worked towards achieving them and I don’t recall seeing any updates on that. I am wondering if I have just missed those. Are they reflected in some of the budgeting that I see before me on aboriginal languages here and if there is some updates that could be provided, I think that would be much appreciated. Obviously the Standing Committee on Government Operations worked very hard, did a tremendous amount of consultation Northwest Territories-wide. I see the government wants to do even more, but I am concerned that at the rate we are losing some languages, at least we want to be moving forward with these. I would appreciate any comments there. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Clearly it is a priority for our department to follow through with all recommendations that are brought forward. Even though we have responded to some of the recommendations in the fall, we want to have a comprehensive package plan of action after the Language Symposium that we are going to be having in March, the end of March. So once that takes effect, then the plan should be available for presentation to the standing committee at that time. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Yes, I will be happy to see that and I see that commitment, too, in your response. Is there funding identified for developing the full response that will be provided in the fall session? Is that part of the funding that is here or is there specific funding for that, or is that just part of the department’s general funding here? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

In order to provide a response on the recommendations and move forward, we did identify some in-house funding to

offset the costs, because we feel that this is an important factor and we need to follow through with and in an on-going forward basis, if we need additional funding on a long-term basis, because some of the recommendations will take longer than just a year or two. So those are the areas that we will certainly consider as part of the next years’ business planning cycle. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Okay, I know that won’t be exciting news to the language communities that are out there waiting for new dollars to come forward here, although I am sure they will appreciate the conference that is happening and so on, and will participate. I am just wondering will the funding program, the proposals, fall out of this update that we will receive in the fall session? Is that where we’ll learn what the plans are and progress on that? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mr. Chair, those are the avenues that we need to work. Not only that, but the federal government, we’ve invited two federal Ministers to come before us, because they need to realize that this is an important factor. So we’re hoping that there will be some commitment. We are getting some funds from them at this point in time, but the funding will be increased, of course. But we will continue to pressure them. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Next on the list I have Mr. Menicoche, Ms. Bisaro and Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Menicoche.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to raise the library services line item here. I know that it goes to some of the regional libraries. Fort Simpson has been without a functioning library for a couple of years now. I’ve raised the issue in the House and raised the issue with the Minister. I’d just like to know what has been done to date and what is planned to assist the community of Fort Simpson in re-establishing a full library there, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Education.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I did indicate that the Fort Simpson John Tsetso Memorial Library does get funds from our department. They did receive, in 2008-09, $16,500; sorry, $21,000, and we increased that funding in 2009-10 to $53,000. So more than double. Mahsi.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

I’m pleased to see the amount of resources that are going towards the John Tsetso Memorial Library. However, the fact remains that I’ve been asking about additional resources. The issue is the lack of suitable space to have the storage of library books, et cetera. I’d just like to know what current efforts to date has the department been working towards resolving this issue in Fort Simpson in assisting it to re-establish a library. Earlier I spoke about one of the ways that I saw to fully resource that library was, of course, to

declare it a regional library. In all fairness, it is a region and it is without a library. So short of working towards that, I know that the government is aware of the needs of the community and the children of Fort Simpson in establishing a library. Just once again, what is the current status of GNWT involvement in re-establishing the library? Thank you.