Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Does Committee agree?

We will re-adjourn after a short break.

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We will now consider tabled document 50-18(2) NWT main estimates 2016-17, and we have agreed to consider Education, Culture and Employment. I'll turn to the Minister responsible for the department for any opening comments he might have. Minister Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2016-17 main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Overall, the Department's estimates propose an increase of $6.06 million or two percent over the 2015-16 Main Estimates. These estimates continue to support the objectives of limiting expenditure growth in order to sustain the long-term sustainability of the fiscal framework. Highlights of the proposed estimates include:

● $2 million to support NWT children through enhancements to the Income Assistance Benefit Program and NWT child benefit;

● $2.2 million for enhancements to the Student Financial Assistance Program;

● $1.25 million for the Canada-NWT Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities;

● $1.02 million for collective agreements increases for education authorities, Aurora College and the department;

● $240,000 to establish two new archivist positions to review, appraise, store and manage all of the archival records transferred under the devolution agreement;

● $112,000 in increased funding for emergency shelters. This will increase the number of available beds at the Inuvik Warming Shelter and the Salvation Army in Yellowknife;

● Reductions of $2.1 million as part of the government-wide expenditure reductions,

The proposed Department of Education, Culture and Employment estimates include activities to support the priorities of the 18thLegislative Assembly. Highlights include:

● Continuing to implement the Right from the Start Early Childhood Development Framework. This includes changes to funding daycares and day homes.

● Continuing implementation of Educational Renewal, which includes initiatives like:

● Expanding the pilot for distance learning for high school;

● Developing new NWT K-9 competency-based health and wellness curriculum, Northern Studies 20 and 30;

● Implementing the renewed Inclusive Schooling Directive; and

● Developing renewed High School Pathways and graduation requirements that include stronger career and transitioning supports as students enter the workforce or post-secondary education.

● Developing and implementing the Skills 4 Success Action Plan that will include a focus on:

● Increasing skill levels through relevant education and training;

● Bridging education and employment gaps through targeted supports;

● Growth in the NWT workforce through a partnership approach; and

● Improving decision-making with relevant labour market data.

● The Department is also reviewing its Income Security programs, which has included the work that led to the changes we are making to how we support children from low income families and will include a review of the Seniors Home Heating Subsidy Program.

These are a few of the highlights for the 2016-17 fiscal year. I look forward to working with Members to advance our priorities and mandate actions related Education, Culture and Employment during the 18thLegislative Assembly. That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Moses. Would you like to bring witnesses into the chamber? Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses?

Thank you. To my right I have our deputy minister, Mr. David Stewart, and to my left assistant deputy minister of corporate services, Mr. Olin Lovely.

Thank you, Minister Moses. We will now proceed to consider the detail for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. I will defer the departmental summary and review the estimates by activity summary. There's that org chart on the first two pages. Do the Members have any comments or questions about the org charts? No comments, questions.

On the third page we have graphs. Are there any comments or questions about the graphs? No comments. We can move on to page 50, revenue summary. This is an information item. Are there any questions on this page, questions or comments?

On page 50, Education, Culture and Employment, revenue summary, information item, any questions? I recognize Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just see there's a Canada-NWT Cooperation Agreement. I see there's some numbers there and I was wondering: is that for the funding for the French first language schools?

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Minister?

Yes. In my opening comments I made the comment for persons with disabilities and that agreement is for that.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Minister Moses. I'm looking at the Canada-NWT Cooperation Agreement for French and Aboriginal languages as well as the line item below that "Agreement for Minority Language Education and Second Language Instruction in French." I was wondering if that was funding for the French schools in Hay River and Yellowknife, and if so, what the breakdown is on each government's contribution. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Moses.

Yes, that first $3.8 million is for French and Aboriginal languages. The second, the $2.588 million, is for schools. Yeah.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And it's Canada-NWT Cooperation Agreement, so is there money coming from both governments that goes into that pot, or is that just the federal contribution? Is that just the territorial contribution?

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister.

Yeah, the one that's stated in here is the revenue summary, it’s coming from the federal government. We also make contributions ourselves above that.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I'm sorry if this is later on, but what is the territorial contribution?

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Mr. Minister.

Yeah, we are just working on the details but we do have a contribution. Thank you, Mr. Chair, it's $2.8 million.