Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In following up on my Member’s statement on absenteeism in the school, I have questions for the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me if the department keeps stats on absenteeism and then uses those stats and if there is a correlation between achievement and/or the lack thereof in absenteeism? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We work through, and also are in consultation with, the school district education authority and also the council. We collect that data that are important for our educational system. We need to work closely with the school boards. They provide information on the absenteeism that the Member is referring to. The stats overall for the last few years, we do have them on file. Based on that, where we need to focus in certain areas. There have been some great achievements over the years and also there have been some lack of achievement over time. Those are the pros and cons we need to look at.

Mr. Speaker, yes, we do have that information and work closely with the education council in that respect. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me if there has been a reduction in absenteeism in the schools in small communities from year to year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the detailed information before me now. I can get that information for the Member. I understand that there has been some improvement in absenteeism, because the school board has

developed initiatives to deal with absenteeism because it is a big issue in the small, isolated communities. We are currently discussing that with the various school boards across the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, was absenteeism contemplated when the department developed the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the absenteeism is a cross-function of the priorities that have been established through the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, whether it be the student support, the early childhood development, the literacy, the home support. So it does fall within those four categories. Every region that we visited, absenteeism was an issue and is a challenge. We are putting a strategic plan in action that is coming from the general public telling us, the educators, the parents, how we can deal with those issues and those matters at hand. They are giving us solutions from that. We are moving forward with this early this year. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.

Mr. Speaker, the solutions are still coming at us from the regional forums that we have initiated. We visited four regions already, including Yellowknife, and also two more upcoming, Beaufort-Delta and also South Slave where Mr. Beaulieu will be part of that process, as well, along with other MLAs. It is at the preliminary stages right now, but in due time, in May session we are hoping to table the document and that information will be available to the general public. There are a lot of solutions in that package that will come out of that. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During this Education Week I just want to raise one of the things that I have been consistent about for the community of Sambaa Ke, which is Trout Lake. They have always impressed upon me about the need to have a brand new school for the community. I raise it once again with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. How much planning has been done? Has he heard the community in working towards building a new school for Trout Lake? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We did hear from the community. I also work closely with the chair of the DEC as well. They have raised those issues in the past. We need to look at the overall schools in the Northwest Territories. Trout Lake is part of that process that we need to discuss. The situation it is in, the age of the building and the space of the building, this are information that we have been gathering. We will discuss it further as we move forward to the next year’s capital planning process. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, over the course of seven years we spent hundreds of millions of dollars in our larger communities building new schools. I think it is time to start concentrating on our small and remote communities, in Trout Lake. I think the capital planning process and the priorities of this government should start concentrating on the small, remote communities. Will the Minister work with his Cabinet colleagues and start investing in the small, remote communities and public infrastructure? Mahsi cho.

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree that we need to focus on all schools in the Northwest Territories. We will continue to push where the priorities lie. I agree that we need to focus on the communities that we represent. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I think another thing that the community of Trout Lake needs, in order to get on the capital plan, is a full assessment and needs of that community. Is the Minister willing to at least work towards that in this fiscal year in the operating and maintenance funding? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, in the 2010-11 capital plan there has been funding that has been included to provide technical upgrades. We are just reporting program issues. It is a start for our department working with the community to address those space issues that Trout Lake is facing. We will be discussing further with the Member and also with the community DEA. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have always advised the Minister that the school in Trout Lake has never been replaced. They are currently existing in the community hall and the community has been promised by this government that they will replace the school. I look forward to the Minister to work with his Cabinet colleagues to make that a priority and make that dream come true for the community of Trout Lake. Mahsi cho.

Mr. Speaker, I too will continue to push for my colleagues on the

pressing matters that are before us with the capital plan projects. Trout Lake, I am looking forward to the community visits. I definitely will be visiting the school and see the outcome of our discussion at that point and stage. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education in regards to my Member’s statement in regards to the importance of developing curriculum for the students in the Northwest Territories. It is something that is meaningful to the students. Like I mentioned, the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Board of Education along with the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit have developed language curriculum to deliver in the schools in the Beaufort-Delta. That is one way I believe we can develop curriculum that is useful to the students, and more importantly, preserve their language and culture. Mr. Speaker, I think we also have to go a step further in regards to looking at the northern history, the history of the Aboriginal people in northern Canada, and more importantly, looking at the rights of indigenous people in northern Canada and understand those rights. What is the Minister’s department doing to revamp the curriculum we have in our schools so it is meaningful for the students and relates to the Northwest Territories and its history and the people that live here? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.