Thank you, Minister. Recognizing Deputy Minister Stewart.
Debates of June 7th, 2016
This is page numbers 409-454 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 going.
Topics
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Stewart
Thanks, Mr. Chair. As the Minster noted, we've recently gone through a review of our funding framework, the way we calculate the resources to boards. There are a number of changes that we did and worked with the boards on. One of the things that we are looking at is how we fund positions. There are some changes that need to take place. This won't impact the 2016-17 school year; it will be subsequent years to that. For example, the way the benefits have been calculated in the past is somewhat inconsistent with the way it is overall in the GNWT, and we think we need to align that.
Secondly, right now, as I mentioned earlier, we're providing funding for positions based on actual salaries. Typically, in the GNWT, a mid-point is used and organizations manage their human resources around those mid-points. That provides some certainty for the government as well as for the boards. Those are discussions we're having right now with the boards, and with the superintendents more specifically, the school superintendents. Those are fairly significant changes to make, so we weren't planning on doing that, as I said, for the 2016-17 school year. Those are changes that we are looking at for probably the 2017-18 school year.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Deputy Minister Stewart, for that answer. It clarifies a lot. There is some security for the communities or the regional boards presently, so I thank him for that. I notice that we've had a teacher increase of 10 positions throughout. Is that just based on the student-teacher ratio and the influx on that?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
I think the changes that we did are seen because of the enrolment changes that we had throughout the Northwest Territories, and in some cases, there also being a decrease in students as well. Thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Shane Thompson Nahendeh
Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Have you guys seen or looked at the forecast of increases with the junior kindergarten age group and the birth population and that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Stewart
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So, yes, we are absolutely looking at the impact on enrolments that are likely to happen when junior kindergarten is implemented in the communities that aren't currently offering it. We're doing the
modelling
to try to understand what the impacts will be overall financially on the system as well, given various scenarios around how that funding may take place. Yes, we are looking at those enrolments.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. Mr. Thompson asked the questions that I was going to move forward with, so thank you.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daniel McNeely
Questions? Education, Culture and Employment, education authorities, programs and services, information item, $149,162,000.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daniel McNeely
Education, Culture and Employment, education authorities, programs and services, active positions. Any questions? Page 71. Seeing none. Page 72, Education, Culture and Employment, Aurora College programs and services, information item. Any questions? Seeing none. Education, Culture and Employment, lease commitments, page 73. Any questions? Seeing none. Page 74, Education, Culture and Employment, Work performed on behalf of others, information item. Any questions? Mr. O'Reilly.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I note here in this departmental budget and some of the others that there is funding shown for implementation for a number of the agreements with Aboriginal governments for the Tlicho implementation. It varies quite a bit from one year to the next, so I'm just wondering what's going on. Is that part of the original contribution agreement, or is it based on some sort of level of activity or work that's being done? I'm just wondering if the department might have some explanation here that would help me. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake
Yes. The work that we do with the Tlicho Government does decrease and they give us the amount of money that we will work with the Tlicho on implementing some of the programs. It varies from year to year, yes.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daniel McNeely
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. O'Reilly. Page 79, Education, Culture and Employment, department total, $315,848,000. Agreed?
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daniel McNeely
Does the committee agree that consideration of the Department of ECE is complete?