Agreed. Page 8-37, Health and Social Services, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued, Agreed?

Agreed. Page 8-38, Health and Social Services, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued. Agreed?

Agreed. Page 8-39, Health and Social Services, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued. Agreed?

Agreed. Page 8-40, Health and Social Services, information item, work performed on behalf of others, continued. Agreed?

Agreed. Committee, that concludes that section. Let us turn back to 8-7, which is on page 8-7. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee defer consideration on the department summary for the Department of Health and Social Services. Thank you.

The motion is on the floor and the motion is being distributed. Let’s wait until it’s distributed. Motion is on the floor. The Motion has been distributed. To the motion.

Question has been called.

---Carried

We will defer further consideration of Health and Social Services until another time.

Thank you, Minister Lee. If I can please get the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses out, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today.

Before we move on to the next department we’re going to take a short break.

---SHORT RECESS

I’ll bring the committee back to order. I’ll go to Minister Lafferty for his opening comments.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to present the 2011-2012 main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

The work of the department is guided by the priorities of the 16th Assembly, specifically healthy

educated people in a diversified economy that provides all communities and regions with opportunities and choices.

The proposed 2011-2012 main estimates for Education, Culture and Employment total $285.895 million. This is an increase of 4.9 percent over previous year's main estimates.

Education and Culture

Early Childhood Development

Ensuring the success of all children and students is a cornerstone of our education system. Under the Healthy Choices Framework, in 2010-2011 the department is leading in the review of the Early Childhood Development Framework for Action to identify how we can better support early learning.

School System

At the school level, Aboriginal Student Achievement, or ASA, Initiative aims to improve Aboriginal student success across the education system to eliminate the achievement gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. In 2011-2012, a literacy initiative will be implemented in the schools.

The department will provide funding so five additional communities, can extend school library hours and resources to serve as community libraries. The new community literacy coordinator position will offer training and support to staff in these new libraries.

Mr. Chairman, the mandatory teacher orientation and the promotional campaign to raise parents’ awareness of habits that support students’ success will continue. Overall funding will be increased by $500,000 in 2011-2012 to support the $1.8 million cost of planned activities under the ASA initiative.

Culture and Heritage

Ensuring that survival and revitalization of our official languages and promoting arts and culture in all forms of expression provide a foundation for learning, personal growth and community vitality for the future of our Territory.

In 2011-2012, an additional $200,000 will be used to expand exhibits and collections at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Support to individuals, organizations and projects that showcase the arts will continue as this government

has increased support for the arts by $1.4 million since taking office.

Official Languages

In fiscal year 2011-2012, $300,000 will support expansion of the annual Aboriginal Languages Summer Institute launched this past summer. The 2011 summer institute will include a repeat offering of two foundation courses and one other course from the University of Victoria certificate program in Aboriginal Language Revitalization.

The department will establish a new administrative structure, costing $812,000 in 2011-2012, for the delivery of French language services across the GNWT, thereby meeting government obligations under the Official Languages Act, in line with court orders.

Advanced Education and Careers

Adult and Postsecondary Education

A key department goal is to ensure every adult in the NWT can acquire the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to access social and economic opportunities.

In fiscal year 2011-2012, an additional $200,000 will go to Aurora College for a student wellness coordinator position in each campus and $300,000 will ensure expanded delivery of the community-based Teacher Education Program in the South Slave.

Apprenticeship Employment Development

In 2011-2012, the department will implement the NWT Labour Force Development Framework developed with the NWT stakeholders. The framework outlines a common vision, principles and goals to develop a strong northern workforce.

The department will also invest $925,000 in 2011-2012 to support employment in small and remote communities by way of wage subsidies to employers.

Income Security

Income security programs assist the most vulnerable among us to meet their basic needs and achieve greater self-reliance. In 2011-2012, the income security delivery model will be reviewed. We are also investing $150,000 to conduct an independent review of the student financial assistance benefits to determine the extent to which benefits could be improved.

In response to the rising demand for income assistance as we recover from the world-wide economic downturn and are progressing slowly, $1.4 million will go to increase regional budgets for income assistance. Another $351,000 will ensure the retention of positions to help address the rising income assistance caseload.

Concluding Comments

The

job of the department is to support residents in

reaching their education, training and employment goals, and in making positive choices for themselves and their family. In this way, residents are encouraged to be as self-reliant as possible and develop a strong identity based on their culture and heritage. Determining the levels of support to help Northerners with all their goals is a challenge that requires constant review. Based on this Assembly’s vision and goals, we believe we are making the best investment for the people within our fiscal reality.

I will be pleased to answer any questions that the Members may have at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Before I go to general comments from the Members, would you like to bring witnesses into the House,

Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman.

Does committee agree that the Minister can bring witnesses into the House?

Sergeant-at-Arms, can I please get you to escort the witnesses into the House?

Thank you. Minister, would you like to introduce your witnesses to the House, please.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Dan Daniels, the deputy minister of ECE; and Paul Devitt, director of strategic and business services. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Does committee agree that we go through general comments? Do the Members wish to make them before going to the Minister to have him to respond to all of them or would Members prefer that he respond to each one?

To go through and have the Minister answer all of them at once, does committee agree?

Then that’s what we’ll do. Alright, general comments, Mr. Jacobson.