Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This obviously has got a lot of attention, how we best expend our expenditure on to the school boards directly to the most in need, the students with special needs.

We did our part with the overall review. It is on our website as well. The review also told us that we should not make any changes to the general approach of inclusive schooling. There is a need to improve the accountability, the measures, increase educator training and a standardized approach of inclusive schooling practices across the NWT. This is an area that has been brought to our attention. We do have an expert doing the overall review of the directive and also eventually dealing with the funding formula.

I just want to make it clear that I have no intention of reducing funding in inclusive schooling in any way, but there is accountability that we must look at. Through that venue, we are developing, monitoring and evaluating accountability aspects to it.

The review is with an expert right now, the director. That will be available at the end of March. That is my understanding. If I missed out on key points, maybe my deputy can elaborate a bit more.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. I will go to the deputy minister, please.

Thank you, deputy minister. Ms. Bisaro.

Thanks, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the Minister and the DM for that information. I want to reiterate that I think, from my understanding of what’s going on with education authorities at the moment, the percentage funding is not the way to go. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment that there’s not going to be a reduction in inclusive schooling funding, but I think there needs to be a serious look at changing the method that we fund in order to make sure that magnet schools and magnet communities, such as Yellowknife and Hay River, and Inuvik as well, that they get the funding needed to provide the services that the special needs kids that go to the magnet communities need, and I don’t think a percentage funding does that.

My question here before I run out of time has to do with the Alberta Achievement Tests. They’ve been mentioned a couple of times in opening comments. My question to the department is whether or not we’re still using the Alberta Achievement Tests. My understanding was that we were not going to be using them. I thought they were going to be phased out. I don’t know if it was last year or this year. I appreciate confirmation on whether or not we are still using Alberta Achievement Tests. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. There have been some changes within the Alberta educational system. As you know, we follow their curriculum and also the AATs. NWT has used grades 3, 6 and 9 AATs as a large-scale assessment since 2007. Alberta is embarking on their own educational renewal process. Obviously, they’re making some changes to the focus on student assessment. Because NWT is using AATs that are being phased out, we also need to decide whether we want to follow Alberta or have our own northern tool that we can use. We are still currently using AATs, I believe, in the Grade 3 area. This eventually will phase out but we need to identify what is the best tool that we can use to assist those individual students, whether it be grades 3, 6 and 9, that we’ve done since 2007 with the AATs, but we are currently exploring what Alberta is moving to and possibly have our own system as well.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Next on my list is Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to report progress.

---Carried

I will rise and report progress. Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Thank you, witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber.

Item 21, report of Committee of the Whole. Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your committee has been considering Bill 47, Deline Final Self-Government Agreement Act; and Tabled Document 188-17(5), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2015-2016, and would like to report progress and that Bill 46, Deline Final Self-Government Agreement Act, is ready for third reading. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Do I have a seconder? Mr. Yakeleya.

---Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I seek consent to proceed with third reading of Bill 46, Deline Self-Government Agreement Act.

---Consent granted

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question has been called. This is a recorded vote. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize and congratulate the people of Deline for their success in developing an agreement that will not only serve the people of Deline but will also provide a model for other communities in the Northwest Territories and throughout Canada to consider.

This agreement is a made-in-the-Northwest Territories model for implementing the inherent right of self-government that follows the vision that the elders and leaders of Deline have held to for many years. This agreement could not have been possible without the hard work of many people, and I would like to take a few moments to recognize the Deline negotiating team.

Their team, led by chief negotiator Danny Gaudet, has worked tirelessly for years. What they have accomplished has never been done before. They had to break new ground and set a new trail over unexplored terrain. They did this with guidance from their elders and from the community.

Impressively, they worked with our government and Canada, always well prepared, explaining their community’s vision, and always willing to offer and consider new ideas. We can all learn from the extraordinary commitment of this community and the dedication of its negotiation team. They worked hard to represent not just their community’s interests at the negotiation table but also to reflect the strong traditions and values of the people of Deline.

This was a negotiation process notable for its atmosphere of respect and, again, is something we can all learn from. Based on this experience, we can be confident that the Deline Got’ine Government, when established, will be a solid partner as we work for the people of the Northwest Territories.

I would also like to recognize our officials who have worked on this agreement on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories. There is a long list of officials from virtually every GNWT department who at various times over the last 18 years have contributed to this agreement. Many have had the good fortune to work with and build strong relationships to the community of Deline. Most recently, our chief negotiator has been Fred Talen, and previous negotiators for the GNWT have been James Fulford, Doris Eggers and Sheila Bassi-Kellett.

---Applause

These negotiators were also supported by dedicated team members. Work on the ratification and implementation of this agreement has also been supported by the efforts of officials led most recently by Sue Bowie and her team. We must also extend our gratitude to these officials and to those from the Government of Canada who have also invested considerable time and effort to help fulfill the promise of self-government for the people of Deline.

Today is a historic day not just because so many have worked so hard for so long to see it happen, today is historic because passage of this bill will mark the ratification of the Deline Final Self-Government Agreement by the Government of the Northwest Territories, taking us a critical step closer to the establishment of the Deline Got’ine Government in 2016. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. To the motion. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be very brief. I did not speak to this bill at first or second reading, and being chair today of Committee of the Whole, I did not speak to it when the bill was before Committee of the Whole. So, as I said, I would like to take a brief opportunity at this moment to add my congratulations to the people of Deline, to all the people who worked on this.

I’m one of the Members who have been here since this all started. Not that I can take any credit whatsoever for the work that’s been done, but I do want to recognize this history in the making. I think only in the Northwest Territories we can still, as legislators, be involved in such significant things that are history in the making. Historic, unique in Canada, not just the Northwest Territories.

I also wanted to say that we’ve talked a lot about looking back from this day to all the work that’s gone into this agreement, that I think the real significance of this agreement will be in the years, the decades and the generations ahead that will look back and see this and will be amazed at what has been accomplished.

We wish you all the best with your new self-government mandate and everything you will do with it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. To the motion. Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my honour to have been asked by the leaders and the elders of Deline to ensure that government negotiating teams and their officials who worked on this agreement are recognized on this historic day.

I share Deline’s appreciation for the hard work of so many government officials, particularly efforts of the negotiating teams who spent a great deal of time over the years travelling and away from their own families, making personal sacrifices required to complete this agreement.

In particular I have been asked to convey the thanks of Deline elders to these individuals. The elders would like to thank them for working with the community to understand the culture, the values and the oral traditions which informed the vision of this agreement. For them, the leaders and the Deline negotiating team, it has been an honour and a pleasure to be able to work with these government officials on behalf of Deline.

Many dedicated employees of both Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories contributed to this agreement. The leaders and elders would like me to recognize, on their behalf, former Premiers, including Stephen Kakfwi, Joe Handley, Floyd Roland and Premier Bob McLeod, who assisted in moving this agreement forward.

They would also like to recognize the efforts of Norman Yakeleya, Sahtu MLA, for supporting their efforts on this agreement.

They would also like to express their appreciation to Mr. Gary Bohnet and Mr. Martin Goldney for their recent efforts with this legislation.

The Government of the Northwest Territories negotiating team was led in the last several years by chief negotiator Fred Talen, affectionately known as “Keo” by the elders of Deline who appreciated Fred’s focus and determination. Fred was ably assisted at various times by a team that included Ian Blackstock, Conna Brown, Lorraine Whiteman, Tannis McNabb, Isabelle Gauthier, John T’Seleie, Peter Teetchie, Noon Trin, Sue Bowie, Carolyn Dunhill and Buddy Williams.

Early in the negotiating process, other GNWT officials served in various capacities as negotiators, including Sheila Bassi-Kellett and Doris Eggers.

Canada’s negotiating team was led during the last several years by Ian Hamilton, assisted by Laura Hudson-Grant, Mary Jane Rolando and Mike Granalouie. Prior to Ian Hamilton taking the helm, Darryl McLeod served as chief negotiator, proceeded by Kevin Floyd, who spent a great deal of time in Deline learning about the community, particularly from the elders.

Other officials of the federal government who contributed significantly to making this agreement a reality include Annie Carriere, Sarah Gill, Kim Thompson, James Lawrence, Jennifer Whittaker, Sylvain Betsina, Tina Bohnet, Jeanine Flood, Lesley Marefield, Lesonne Glouie, Eric Pourier, Patrick Barthold, Lawrence Pearce, Sean Summers, and Michael Naddler.

Finally, the elders, leaders and Deline negotiating team extend their heartfelt gratitude to all Members of this House for their unwavering support in its final critical stage of a process that has spanned almost 20 years and that will last for generations to come. To all in the House: mahsi cho.