This is page numbers 1977 – 2026 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 chair.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. When I talk about the educational renewal, it does cover a broad sector of areas. There have been talks about educational reform, there have been talks about inclusive schooling, formal funding, small schools, the capital and so forth. So it would capture a lot of those areas, and once we hear from the general public, I will be before the standing committee. A lot of discussion will be taking place. Members alluding to specific areas can be part of the discussion as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

Thanks to the Minister. So I appreciate that this will be a very broad review and, I’m assuming, the Minister replied with some interest in looking at the Finnish system.

Will the Minister report to the committee on the results of the review of the Finnish system and really work with us on a plan to adopt, fund and implement those aspects that we think are warranted?

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

I spoke earlier about various research that we are currently undertaking, because this is a complex document that we’re faced with when we talk about the renewal. There have been other studies. As the Member alluded to, the Finnish system that he

shared with us. I can share what we currently have, but it’s all preliminary right now. Once it’s available to me, then I can share with the standing committee the updated status in due time.

Bob Bromley

Bob Bromley Weledeh

I know committee’s looking forward to that offer for information. What I’m specifically asking, recognizing that this is apparently the best educational system in the world, they were where we are now, they moved to address that and now they’re the best in the world. Will the Minister specifically have his department look at the Finnish system and bring to us the results of that review and what could work in the Northwest Territories? I know social passing and so on, and many of the things that are brought up today are addressed in that Finnish system.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

The peer passing has been addressed in the House. My staff have been diligently reviewing this. The Finnish system, there’s been research across the country and internationally. I will provide that information of what we have to the Members and the standing committee as well.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to continue with questions for the Minister of Justice here. In his statement he mentioned that one of our goals is sustainable, vibrant and safe communities. We also have to make that the focus of the schools. He talked about the community policing plan. I just want to ask the Minister of Justice in his community policing plan if, in the plan itself, the RCMP are asked to go into the school and be a presence in the schools, having them make sure that our teachers and students are safe and have that assurance of having their presence there. Is that part of the policing plan in any of the communities?

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Abernethy.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Justice

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These community policing plans are actually an agreement between the RCMP and the community itself. They sit down and talk about what the priorities are and set some of their direction. I can’t tell you what every community policing plan says. There are 33 of them. I do know that in some communities, the communities have indicated that education and visits to the school are a priority, and that is in some of the community policing plans.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Would the Minister commit to creating a ministerial directive in speaking with the RCMP to make it a priority, and make it mandatory for RCMP to be in the schools and educate the

students on what their roles are in the community and in the schools, and create that strong partnership so that our students can speak up, our teachers can speak up, and let RCMP know what some of their concerns are in terms of bullying, violence, and other things that are happening in the school system or on school grounds?

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Justice

I’ve had a lot of conversations with the commanding officer of “G” Division where I’ve indicated that education is very important in the Northwest Territories. Having the RCMP engage with students is a priority. I do know that a number of the detachments have been very active with community groups and things like the Not Us! campaign. As I’ve already indicated, I do know that in a number of communities, the communities have made that a priority as well. I’ll continue to have the conversations with the commanding officer of “G” Division and continue to encourage him to engage our communities, to provide education and, where possible, get into the schools.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Just for an example, our Not Us! Committee in Inuvik invited all RCMP staff to a family night. We introduced them to the community and they engaged and played board games, had discussions, sat down, had tea and coffee with the residents of the community. It really builds that strength and partnership and relationship within our community so that we feel comfortable talking to them and they feel comfortable talking to us. It’s been very helpful.

A while back when I was doing health promotion, we had a program with the coroner’s office where the coroner went into the schools and did an education on things like drinking and driving, and violence. I was just wondering if the Minister had any programs in the future, or near future, where the coroner goes into the schools and does an education on their job and some of the things that they do see, because it’s a reality but it really sends a very strong message and education.

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Minister of Justice

I’m not certain whether that program still exists in the Department of Justice. I don’t recall it, but it sounds like a really great idea. What I’ll do is talk to the department to see what existed in the past and whether or not something could be put in place, and I will certainly come and talk to the Member and committee to see if that’s something that we might be able to do in the future.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on the theme of education and Education

Week, and I’d like to address my questions to the Minister of Education. He’s had lots of questions today about inclusive schooling and I also have some with regard to inclusive schooling and students.

I know the Minister recognizes, and I think all Members recognize, that we have some special needs students in our classrooms who require more attention and more support than others. Some of them require, in some cases, two special needs aides as opposed to just one or, in some cases, none. I’d like to ask the Minister, first of all, whether or not the current funding formula for special needs for schools recognizes that we have students with greater needs than others.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

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

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Currently, we contribute approximately $26 million towards inclusive schooling and $666,000 to a Student Success Initiative. It may not capture every challenge that there is in the school system. That’s the very reason why we are going to re-evaluate our inclusive schooling funding. We’ve been told, when visiting communities, that they should be based on students’ needs, special students and so forth, special needs. Those are the factors that will be taken into consideration. I will be addressing it with the standing committee.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister for his response, though I would have to infer from that response that, no, our current formula does not recognize that we have some students who have much higher needs than others and, therefore, the board requires much more funding. I’m pleased to hear the Minister state that there’s going to be a review. I think part of the educational review initiative or renewal initiative, I guess it’s called, is going to include looking at the Inclusive Schooling Policy and, I think, also the funding.

I’d like to know from the Minister, when that review is being done, will it include what I think is an objective review. That would be an external review as opposed to an internal review of the funding formula and the students within our system that require special needs support.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

As I stated before, we need to reach out to the front-line workers as well. We are doing research and we are reaching out to experts as well. We want to have those best practices from elsewhere, as well, within Canada, and even in the States and internationally, as Mr. Bromley alluded to earlier. Those are the outside experts that are informing us and providing input. We will continue to address that and reach out to various sectors out there, outside our educational system.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate there is an awful lot of research going on and that the Minister indicates that they’re reaching out. It’s one thing to do research and to look at policy. One thing I’m asking for is an external evaluation of our current situation in all our schools within the NWT system. We need to know what students currently exist with what special needs and how much support each is requiring. I would like to know from the Minister if the renewal initiative includes an evaluation of the current special needs requirements in our system.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

There are various areas that are evaluating various programs, an external review and so forth. We will take those into consideration as well.

The Speaker

The Speaker Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.

Wendy Bisaro

Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake

I’m not sure I really understood the Minister’s answer. Reaching out. I guess I appreciate that. When the Minister said external, I wonder if he could expand on what he meant by “external” in his last answer.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

When I talk about external, there are other sources and experts that we need to depend on. When the Member is talking about external evaluation, those are some of the key factors that we need to take into consideration as well.

I stated before that we’re doing a lot of research in this area. We want to have the best product for the Northwest Territories that meets our educational system. That’s what we’re doing. It is a comprehensive and complex issue.