Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I totally agree with the Member about creating more opportunities and that’s our vision, that’s our goal as a department.

Again, I must commend the Beaufort-Delta. When they presented last week, it was very exciting. We were going through a process where we can capture the small communities to deliver academic programming and so forth. So we’ve committed to the Beaufort-Delta. I just signed a letter just the other day, to continue with the fund up to 2013-2014. Part of the programming is that, of course, there will be a review after. Then we’re going through educational renewal and the Early Childhood Development Framework as well. Based on that, this will be part of the discussion as we move forward creating areas of investment, and this is one of the areas that I’d like for us to see even more investment in because it will benefit the small communities.

We’ve heard from the Members from the small communities that we need to focus on the smallest and most isolated communities because some of the programs are not compatible to larger centres. This is an area that I think will tackle the situation, the challenge. Mahsi.

Thank you. He got me excited there when he said he signed off a letter and just for the ‘13-14 year. I thought it was going to be longer years. That kind of just tells me kids going into Grade 10 this year. I mean, if we don’t continue it and we do split up those students that do need it from the three different levels that one teacher might have to teach in the classroom. If we get one student next year that’s taking advanced courses in Grade 10 and the program stops, because the Beaufort-Delta are actually utilizing this funding, then that means the teacher is going to have to go back to amalgamating all grade levels and the students aren’t going to get the specialized attention that they needed.

You and your staff saw the grade passing levels were, like, 63 percent, 70 and 77 percent. I can’t remember what they were, but when we look at the statistics in education in the small communities, the average is, like, 34, 39, 40.

We’ve got proven results here that e-learning with the advanced courses, where they’re able to work with teachers from McPherson or Inuvik teaching these courses, they’re getting some really great, high scores that are going to prepare them for education. I would really recommend that the Minister and his staff look at signing a longer term agreement.

You heard it from the staff themselves, this is more than just advanced education and giving the students the right education that they need. You can even take it further and start getting some of our language experts teaching from small communities such as Fort McPherson teaching students in Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic, or Inuvik. Same with Tuk, getting some of our Inuvialuit speaking instructors in Tuk teaching others in Inuvik. It goes far beyond and it’s also about revitalizing our Aboriginal languages in that area. That’s where it’s suffering the most and the stats show that.

I’m happy that you signed for 2013-2014 but I think that seeing the results, seeing the potential for this innovative and unique opportunity to continue these real time teachings is something that this government needs to commit to mainly because of the cost of travel in the Beaufort-Delta. It is so high that if we can continue to do that e-learning, we would cut down on costs.

There’s the tutoring program that was also mentioned that would really benefit the teachers, and students mainly, and really cut down costs and increase our grade levels. I don’t know what else to say to sell you on this, but it would be nice to see a long-term deal with the Beaufort-Delta Education Authority to continue getting these high grades and increasing the education levels in our small communities. I’d like the Minister, I won’t ask him to commit, but if he would really take a look at it and look at long-term funding for this program so that

we can get somebody graduating out of Sachs Harbour and possibly someone out of Tsiigehtchic with a Grade 12 education.

It’s sold. This is an area that I’m very interested, as the Minister responsible, especially in the small communities. Even though it’s only 2013-2014 now, it is part of our long-term commitment that we want to continue with other regions as well. I was very excited when I saw that presentation and thank you to the Beaufort-Delta for allowing that to happen. As the Member indicated, I won’t be able to make a commitment today, but that is part of the long-term goal and commitment that I want to strive for that in other regions as well.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Just in order here we have Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Bromley, followed by Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under this particular section under strategic and business services division we have the section noted for Aurora College. I’m wondering if the Minister can talk to this particular issue. I’d like to find out what planning and development, in the context of capital planning, is being looked at for Aurora College. I’d like to hear some specifics.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. As you know, we’re not here to talk about capital, but the Member alluded to planning stages. This is an area that I’m very interested in having discussion with various partners that I introduced in this House before. Part of the discussion I want my department to have is to reintroduce those option papers that we initiated in I believe it was 2010. The existing facilities in Yellowknife, I’m sure we can utilize one of the facilities, as we indicated before. That’s just an option that we want to work with.

Another option was to work with potential partners building a place for us and leasing it back, but that goes against our borrowing limit. That option may not work for us.

We are doing what we can to make it a reality. As you know, $60 million to $80 million it may cost us, which we don’t have today, but we are exploring another venue with the federal government. There are areas we have just identified that we can work with through the Finance department as well.

The Minister knows I’m well aware this isn’t the capital budget and that’s why I’m asking about the planning. What type of capital planning can the Minister actually describe that actually provides a detail? All I heard was we’re planning an options paper. I’m not sure what an option paper is referring to. Maybe he could speak

more specific to what that actually means. He also said there were partners and I’m not sure what the options had meant. The answers lacked all or any detail that made any sense. This is an important issue and he knows that, he knows I raise this repeatedly. I’m trying to get a sense of what’s actually happening here.

I probably have to refer to Mr. Devitt. He’s been involved heavily in the discussion. All I can say at this point is that we extended our NUP lease agreement to three years, knowing that we need to have a plan in place. My department’s working diligently to develop a plan to deal with the college. I realize that, obviously, they want a stand-alone campus. Another option again is that, developing plans, we need to come up with some options as well. When we presented to standing committee, this was a while back, a couple years back, and there was some fruitful discussion and we were going to move forward on that. I want my department to dig up the file and re-present that maybe in a different fashion. Those are just some of the options we are working with. I will refer to Mr. Devitt for more detail on the process itself.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Before we go to Mr. Devitt, I will allow Mr. Devitt to respond to Mr. Hawkins’s inquiry on the capital, but I remind Members that we are talking about the operations and operations expenditure summary. Mr. Devitt.

Thank you, Mr. Devitt. Mr. Hawkins.

When is this development plan going to see committee’s desks or Members’ desks? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. Who is actually developing it?

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. You are referring to the development plan of this capital project?

Yeas that’s part of this division, is to develop plans. It’s not actually to submit a plan for capital dollars to build, it’s all about building a plan.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. If you kept it in that context, sure, we’ll go to Mr. Devitt.

Thank you for that. I would be happy to receive that. Specific to developing a plan for Aurora College, is that an independent plan or is that part of the broad overall scheme of all the school systems?

No, what I mean more so is when you do capital planning you do almost like a business case, business plan, strategy, you sort of look at… You guys know what that is. Where is the development of the college into actually… Where is the business case model and who is developing the business case model that moves the planning for a new Aurora College independent campus into the capital plan? Because you need a business plan of sorts before this, and that falls under the operations.

Okay. Where is that compendium and how is that compendium organized that is narrowly focused on the development of a campus for an independent campus for Aurora College? Again, speaking about this business plan compendium document full of this information on space utilization, availability, options, things along those lines.

Okay. Now we’re getting to it. So what has been developed thus far? I heard him say it can’t be released to the public, so maybe if you could speak in broader brush strokes where it is, how long it has been worked on, and when that package is going to be ready for MLA consumption.