Thank you, committee. Page 5-38, information item, work performed on behalf of others. Any questions?

Committee, if I could get you to return to 5-7, Finance, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $210.630 million. Does committee agree?

Does committee agree that consideration of the Department of Finance is completed?

Thank you, committee. Before we dismiss our witnesses, I think you heard it from the Speaker, but on behalf of Committee of the Whole, Mr. Koe, good luck at the Brier representing Northwest Territories.

---Applause

I would like to thank our witnesses, Mr. Aumond, Mr. Koe, Mr. Kalgutkar, and thank you to the Minister. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out. At this time, committee, we’ll take a short recess.

----SHORT RECESS

Welcome back, committee. We’re going to commence with the Department of Education. With that, we’ll turn it over to the Minister for opening comments. Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I’m pleased to present the 2014-2015 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

The department’s fiscal summary proposes an overall ECE budget of $305.6 million, an increase of $6 million, or 2 percent, over the 2013-2014 Main

Estimates. There is $154.9 million of the budget allocated to schools and school contributions for all programs, which represents close to 51 percent of our budget, and $33.5 million is allocated to Aurora College, which represents almost 11 percent of our budget.

The department has a key role to play in furthering this Assembly’s theme of “Believing in people and building on the strength of Northerners.”

This budget represents over a year of hard work reflecting what we’ve heard from NWT residents. It means real change that will make a real difference in the lives of the people. We are moving forward with our part of the Early Childhood Action Plan to improve the lives of children. We will implement actions within the Anti-Poverty Strategy that will make a measurable difference in the lives of the most vulnerable of our society. The actions flowing from the Education Renewal Initiative will improve not only students’ success but their ability to take advantage of the economic opportunities the North has to offer.

It is evident that many NWT students are challenged to succeed in the current K to 12 education system. I am confident the inclusive nature of the Education Renewal and Innovation Initiative will make positive improvements to the system, enabling our students to thrive. In October we tabled Directions for Change, the Educational Renewal Innovation Framework. Since then, we have begun developing an action plan which, like the framework document, will be completed with full input from our partners. In total, the department plans to spend $8.2 million on early childhood development in 2014-2015.

The department will implement voluntary, free, full-day junior kindergarten offering access to quality, play-based programs through a three-year phased approach starting with small communities in 2014-2015. It will be introduced in the 29 smaller NWT communities first because they have the greatest need for early childhood development programming. Included in the main estimates is the re-profiling of $1.8 million in school contributions to fund these plans in 2014-2015.

Also, under the Early Childhood Development Framework, the department proposes to spend $511,000 for wage top-up and training to increase the wages of Early Childhood Program staff in licenced child care centres. This will provide a concrete incentive for staff to improve their early childhood qualifications.

The department plans to spend over $179 million in school and library programs; $154.9 million of this will go directly to education authorities for the delivery of K to 12 education.

Through the Anti-Poverty Strategy, the department proposes to spend $650,000 to enhance existing

school food programs. This will help ensure all children have access to healthy nutritious food to fuel their learning.

In 2014-2015 the department plans to spend close to $7.2 million on culture and heritage programs and services. This includes maintaining territorial-wide museum operations, NWT archives, the Cultural Places Program and funding for community arts, culture and heritage programs.

In 2014-15 the department plans to spend over $6.7 million to support Aboriginal language programs and services. Approximately $5.2 million will be paid in contributions to support Aboriginal language and cultural programs in schools, at Aurora College and in communities across the NWT.

During stakeholder engagement we heard from our language partners that Aboriginal governments are best placed to revitalize their own languages in the context of their culture. In recognition of this, we will adopt a new approach to help regional Aboriginal governments implement their five-year regional language plans. Included in the 2014-15 Main Estimates is the re-profiling of $627,000 to increase contributions to Aboriginal governments. This will enable them to strengthen and revitalize their languages and hire language coordinators in the regions.

In 2014-15 the department plans to spend $2.6 million for the coordination of services and communications in French across the GNWT.

Working with all GNWT departments and agencies, the department continues to lead the implementation of the GNWT Strategic Plan on French Language Communications and Services in collaboration with the Federation Franco-Tenoise.

Included in the main estimates is new funding to support the GNWT’s efforts to increase student participation and increase awareness of career opportunities in mineral exploration and training. Also included is the funding to reinstate money and continue implementation of the Small Community Employment Support Program. Over the past fiscal year, 151 individuals in 20 NWT communities have accessed this particular program.

In total, the department plans to spend $10.7 million in 2014-15 to build essential work skills in small and remote communities, offer wage subsidies for on-the-job training, and support apprentices. This funding also supports community initiatives projects and provides continuing funding to partners such as Skills Canada and the Mine Training Society. All of these initiatives support the development of an educated, skilled and trained northern work force.

In 2014-15 the department plans to spend close to $42.1 million on income security programs to support the most vulnerable in our society.

Based on the office of the Auditor General’s review, our audit and oversight capacity has been increased and the culture of client-centred program delivery has been strengthened. The department will add a program auditor position in income security division to build capacity and meet the audit recommendations agreed to in the department’s response to the 2013 Auditor General’s report on income security.

Beyond insuring appropriate program delivery, the department has changed how eligibility for the Senior Home Heating Subsidy is determined. This change removes the barrier for adult children living in a senior’s home. We have also improved supports to post-secondary students by increasing their living allowance and increased the grant available for disabled post-secondary students.

The last year has been a year of real change and renewal for the department. Much has been driven by our responses to the recommendations made by the office of the Auditor General in the reports on education and income security programs. The department has improved our internal operations and how we interact with clients. The department is building a departmental culture that puts accountability and evidence-based decision-making at the forefront of how we do business.

The office of the Auditor General found that improvements in corporate governance were required in order to provide better programming to our clients and ensure greater system-wide accountability. As a result, we have established the policy, legislation and communications division, the finance and capital planning division and the planning, research and evaluation division. This new structure will improve strategic, lateral and long-term planning, department-wide coordination and evidence-based decision-making.

With these plans in place over the coming year, the department is well positioned to move ahead with important departmental and interdepartmental projects that will contribute to achieving the vision and priorities of the 17th Assembly.

Mr. Chair, I will be pleased to answer any questions the Members may ask at this time. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Do you have witnesses to bring into the House?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Does committee agree?

Thank you, committee. Sergeant-at-Arms, can you please escort the witnesses into the House.

Minister Lafferty, would you like to introduce your witnesses to the House?

Mr. Chair, to my left is deputy minister of ECE, Gabriela Eggenhofer. To my immediate right is Dana Heide. He is the associate deputy minister, and also Marissa Martin is the director of finance and capital planning to my far right. Mahsi.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. I would like to welcome everyone to the House this evening. Committee, do you agree that we will proceed to detail?

Thank you, committee. Page 10-7 we will defer until we complete activities. Page 10-8, information item, infrastructure investment summary. Are there any questions? Seeing none, 10-9, information item, revenue summary. Are there any questions?

Thank you, committee. 10-10, information item, active positions. Are there any questions? Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have been asking several departments about their positions. I believe this covers pretty much everyone in the Department of Education. I have been asking them for a list of the positions that are funded, unfunded, filled, unfilled and a fair bit of detailed question beyond that, but I think the department and certainly the Minister has been following along my general question asked. I will save a lot of time by asking if the department can provide me that detail. If so, we can move on, as far as I’m concerned. I will just wait until it’s in my office, if feasible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I will go to Minister Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. We do have the detailed information. We can certainly provide that to Members. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Page 10-10, information item, active position summary. Are there any questions?