Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Honourable Premier.

Mr. Speaker, a strong partnership with the Government of Canada is essential to ensuring Northerners can achieve their social, environmental, and economic goals. By working with our federal counterparts, the Government of the Northwest Territories will help create a Northwest Territories where all people can thrive and be healthy, where a strong economy provides jobs and opportunities for all our communities, and where a well-managed environment contributes to our economic well-being and quality of life.

Mr. Speaker, this past Friday I met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss some of the issues we face as a territory. The Prime Minister understands our governments share the same goals of wellness, health, and prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, Canada needs a plan for sustainable growth and development in the North that will help give Northerners the certainty that they can live and prosper here at home, now and into the future. The Prime Minister agrees that we need to unlock the economic opportunities and jobs, not to make money for southern companies, but to keep it here, in the North. We need a two-fold approach to unlock our abundant natural resources to grow and sustain our economic future, to lower the cost of living and develop training, education, and capacity-building opportunities. The Prime Minister agrees that an efficient and effective regulatory system is needed, and I look forward to working with him on this.

While development of our non-renewable resources is important to our economic prosperity, we must ensure that communities have access to local economies, marine and freshwater fisheries, tourism, and traditional economies. All Members agree a diversified economy is an important part of the Northwest Territories' economic future, Mr. Speaker. This is what it means to unlock our potential.

The Government of the Northwest Territories' vision for a sustainable Arctic is founded on balance, Mr. Speaker. Sustainability will be achieved only by strengthening communities by placing a priority on social, cultural, environmental, and economic factors. This is an interest we share with Yukon and Nunavut.

The North is built on partnership and collaboration. For decades, our government has recognized and worked with Aboriginal governments on shared interests that will improve the lives of residents in the Northwest Territories. Collaborative relationships and finding consensus to move forward is what has allowed us to achieve the success and growth we have in the North.

Achieving that balance and creating results for Northerners will require a vision and a plan that takes global realities and Northern aspirations into account. Recently, the Government of Canada took a significant potential economic development opportunity off the table when they declared a moratorium on offshore oil and gas development. The Prime Minister has committed to revisiting the moratorium in five years, and we look forward to playing a productive role in that review. We understand the reasons for the decision, and the Government of Canada is willing to work with us to develop comparable opportunities for our residents.

A shared vision for territorial sustainability and development would help us plan for the kind of future Northerners want, Mr. Speaker. It will let us assess the opportunities in front of us, foresee global trends, and then make deliberate choices about how to invest our time, money, and effort on creating a future for our residents.

Creating jobs and opportunities for Northerners is important to our success, and the Prime Minister acknowledged that they need to open other doors for Northerners when they close one, as with offshore drilling. Building a green economy in the North could be one of the doors we open, and our shared commitment to getting remote communities off diesel and expanding our hydro potential to combat climate change will create long-lasting economic opportunities and diversify our economy and job force.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and my colleagues in Nunavut and Yukon agree that a collaborative approach to creating a vision and strategy for sustainable growth and development is needed, a pan-territorial sustainable development strategy created by the Northerners to meet northern needs. I look forward to working with Members to get your input on what the vision for our territory's development should be. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Two of the key factors in community wellness and safety are education and partnership. Every person and organization across the Northwest Territories has something to contribute to help make our communities healthy and safe.

At the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, all of our programs and services follow a continuum of strategies, building on the foundation of others. These strategies are designed to address community and residents' needs from early childhood through to ensuring Northerners have the skills, attitudes, and opportunities for success.

Mr. Speaker, in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Services, the Right from the Start strategy is strengthening services, programs, and resources for families and caregivers with young children across the North.

We have worked closely with early childhood program operators to provide them with supports, new funding, and few administrative requirements so they can focus on developing quality programs for children in their care.

The Early Childhood Staff Grant program, ongoing since 2015, continues to encourage early childhood workers in licensed daycare facilities to upgrade their skills and education through incremental wage benefits. Over the 2015-16 fiscal year, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment provided grants to approximately 240 full and part-time early childhood workers. The goal of this program is to help licensed childcare facilities provide a greater level of service to the communities and workers with a higher income and knowledge.

As well, since 2014-15, we have awarded 38 scholarships to post-secondary students enrolled in full-time early childhood development diploma or degree programs. This includes 13 scholarships awarded in 2016-17.

This is an investment in the critical early years, to ensure the children of the North have quality childhood workers committed to their safety and care.

Mr. Speaker, further to fulfilling our mandate commitments in community wellness and safety, we have had a strong focus on ensuring our schools are safe. Schools are central to many communities, but we know there are issues in every school. We can see this across Canada and around the world.

We have been working very closely with our education partners over the past few years and have engaged with experts in implementing safe and caring schools. We must ensure our schools are safe environments so students can focus on learning and feel supported and that staff can feel secure.

On September 1, 2016, the Territorial School Code of Conduct and Safe Schools Regulations came into effect. The regulations set a standard of behaviour for Northwest Territories students, school staff, and the school community. The department has provided education bodies with templates and exemplars to assist in the required development of the Safe Schools plans and is currently providing supports to education bodies in the development of emergency response plans to be implemented in the 2017-18 school year. These plans will be reviewed and updated annually.

As well, the department is working with non-government organization partners and education bodies to develop policies and resources that support students and staff from the LGBTQ2+ community.

In partnership with Health and Social Services, we are developing a renewed JK to Grade 9 Health and Wellness curriculum to address issues of mental health, healthy relationships, and the importance of physical activity. The curriculum will encourage teachers to build strengthened relationships between the school, the community and regional health, dental and mental health service providers, and other community organizations.

A key aspect of this new curriculum will be an increased emphasis on approaches to teaching and learning that rely on student research of community-identified wellness issues.

As a further investment in community wellness, the Small Community Employment Support Program enables residents to either receive training-on-the-job, or through the community initiatives which provides formal training or a combination of on-the-job and formal training. This program helps residents with employment, allowing them to contribute to their communities and the ability to provide for their families. In 2016-2017, 200 residents received training-on-the-job and 69 residents received training through community initiatives. The proposed $3 million investment, announced by the Minister of Finance in the budget speech, will allow us to target our investments to ensure we are meeting the needs of both our residents and of the Northwest Territories labour markets.

Mr. Speaker, senior citizens, the elders of our territory, have helped to build and grow the North, and we must support them to remain amongst their families and with their communities. At the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, we deliver two programs specifically in place to assist seniors: the Senior Home Heating Subsidy and the Senior Citizen Supplementary Benefit. The Senior Home Heating Subsidy ensures that lower income seniors, who own their own homes, receive a fuel subsidy that assists with the cost of heating their home. The Supplementary Benefit Program is a monthly pension for low-income seniors, to assist them with the cost of living, and allows them to age in place.

Mr. Speaker, community wellness and safety are paramount to the well-being and success of our residents and of the North. We and our partners across the territory have an obligation to ensure our residents have the opportunity to live healthy and productive lives in safe communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Justice.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our government has committed in its mandate to pursue innovative ways to prevent and reduce crime. The Department of Justice recognizes that, to make a difference, our response must address the root causes that lead an individual to break the law in the first place. Based on the disproportionate number of Aboriginal people in the justice system, we know any approach must also offer offenders the chance to reconnect with their culture and traditions. I would like to tell you today about a promising new program being delivered in our corrections service, and give you an idea of other work that Justice is doing to advance our commitment to reduce crime.

On examining the profiles of offenders in our facilities, it is clear that the most prevalent issue is substance abuse. Programming is available, but many of the programs take longer to complete than the average inmate spends in a facility. As a result, inmates are reaching their release date before they can finish our longer-term programs. As well, people who receive community sentences, and don't enter a corrections facility, are not able to benefit from the facility-based programs. I want to highlight a new program that attempts to address all of these issues.

The Substance Abuse Management program, or SAM, is designed to help inmates with shorter sentences, as well as those serving their sentence in the community. The SAM program model recognizes the importance of treating the person, not just the addiction. Sessions are presented in a non-judgmental, educational manner, allowing participants to focus on their learning, without having to be defensive about their history or current situation.

Participants are assisted to identify the triggers that most often lead them to abuse alcohol or drugs, as well as behaviours that they would otherwise try to avoid. They learn to apply this understanding to their daily lives. Offenders get help to develop a prevention plan that includes an inventory of resources that they can turn to as they continue their recovery.

The SAM program recognizes the importance of Aboriginal culture and traditions. Aboriginal liaison officers or elders attend the group session to assist participants, helping them reflect on their culture and learning. Currently, both the North Slave Correctional Complex and the South Mackenzie Correctional Centre offer the 12-session SAM program daily over a three-week period. There are plans to extend this program to the Fort Smith Correctional Complex in 2017-18.

The SAM program also extends support outside the walls of our correctional facilities. Inmates on probation who are returning to their community from a facility have support for successful reintegration, including the continuation of a program they know. Offenders who are serving their entire sentence in the community and have not been in a facility have an opportunity to access the SAM program helping them make positive changes.

To acknowledge some of the issues that returning offenders face, and to allow time for elders to be brought in to make important cultural connections, the community program is delivered over 12 weeks. At the end of these sessions, probation officers also connect participants with community supports available through Health and Social Services.

The SAM program is presently being delivered by probation staff to small groups of approximately five participants in Hay River, Fort Providence, and Yellowknife. Early indications are that this program is being very well received, and there are plans to expand it to the Inuvik probation office in the coming weeks.

This program does not stand alone. We currently have a range of supports for offenders in facilities and in the community. We will be adding more programs and continuing efforts to work with inmates to address the root causes of crime. We will also continue our important collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Services and with local and regional providers on the continuity of care for addictions and mental health services.

As Members are aware, culturally appropriate correctional programming is not the only commitment that has been made by this government. The Department of Justice is taking action to reduce crime through many paths. I want to highlight just a few other promising approaches.

Specialized courts in the NWT include the Wellness Court that sits in Yellowknife, and the Domestic Violence Treatment Options Court that accepts offenders from Yellowknife, Behchoko, Hay River, K'atlodeeche, and Enterprise. The Wellness Court has been sitting since October 2014, and as of mid-January a total of 63 individuals have been referred to the court. The Domestic Violence Treatment Options Court has also delivered encouraging results; as of this January, 79 individuals have participated in the program.

The Integrated Case Management pilot project in Yellowknife provides a holistic approach to supporting those in our community who are faced with a variety of complex needs. Participants are supported through a comprehensive assessment, and are assisted by their case manager to address these needs, including a lack of suitable housing or homelessness, poverty, substance abuse, and unemployment. Participants are referred by social program departments, and as of January, 103 individuals have been accepted into the program, with seven applicants currently being considered. The pilot project is under review with results expected by the end of March. I look forward to sharing the results with Members.

In other areas, I am pleased to report that policing action plans are in place in all NWT communities. These plans are a collaborative effort between the RCMP and local leadership. They work together to identify priorities specific to each community, as well as determining how best to address these issues.

The Government of the Northwest Territories also has a mandate commitment to improve access to justice. I can also report that progress has been made in collaboration with the Law Society to establish ongoing access to legal resources through a resource centre. As well, the Legal Aid Commission is continuing to offer outreach services in Yellowknife and across the NWT, with an expansion scheduled for this year that will enhance operating hours for the walk-in clinic, increase community visits, and introduce family law duty counsel services. These initiatives, along with efforts to reduce family violence and assist families who are separating or divorcing, are all part of the department’s overall commitment to improve access to justice and our response to crime.

I think that we all recognize that a social response to crime reduction takes resources and the concerted efforts of all levels of government, local agencies, and community members. We also know that, if we don’t address the root causes that lead to crime, we will continue to see some of the same people in the justice system again and again. Through these innovative programs and the support of this Legislative Assembly, we are making a difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Just in the nick of time.

---Laughter

Masi. Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, [English translation not provided]. Mr. Speaker, Members, school boards, education authorities, and parents are seeking clarity when it comes to junior kindergarten.

We discussed these matters at length in the House last week. I don't want to tread over the same ground again but, Mr. Speaker, with so much information -- sometimes contradictory information is circulating -- I must briefly highlight three points.

First, the school boards and the education authorities face ongoing funding issues. NWT classrooms deal with higher pupil-teacher ratios than most of Canada even though our territory also has the second highest number of very small schools.

Second, NWT schools see higher rates for special needs accommodation. This kind of important educational work is covered under the NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling. This work needs inclusive schooling dollars, yet inclusive schooling dollars are not part of the department's plan for funding junior kindergarten.

That brings me to my third point. While the department has said it will fully fund junior kindergarten, it's not clear how or if this funding will account for inclusive schooling or Aboriginal language and culture instruction, among other things. I've also heard from residents concerned that cuts will be made to the education system up to $800,000. I understand too that the $500,000 found internally came from the education renewal initiative; that is, it's a further reduction to the K to 12 system. That's on top of the department's decision to fund non-teaching positions at mid-point instead of actual salaries.

As we heard in the House last week, school boards are approaching their budget deadlines. We are pleased to hear the department's final decision to fully fund junior kindergarten but, Mr. Speaker, the devil is in the details and we need to sort those out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to address the cancellation of the social work program at Aurora College. We've heard that one justification for the decision is based on low numbers of graduates from the program, so perhaps the Minister believes that represents a poor return on public investment and therefore this program can hit the chopping block to meet reduction targets. On the other hand, enrolment has increased, which is an indication of how important and needed the program is.

In fact, low numbers of grads may be a problem within the program itself in that new social work students may not be equipped to meet the standards set for a diploma linked to the University of Regina undergrad program. Higher enrolment rates lead me to believe there's demand and popularity for the program. Low graduation rates lead me to think there is work to be done with student preparedness as they move through the program.

Beyond that, Mr. Speaker, let's consider the need for such a program. In today's NWT's society, social work is a fundamental human process in need. It's a core element of what our communities need to function better.

I recently received an e-mail from a constituent, a graduate of Aurora College's social work program. She wrote, and I quote, "I completed my first practicum at YHSSA with social workers with Master's degrees from southern schools who did not understand residential school, the effects of residential school. They did not even know the difference between someone who was Metis or Gwich'in. How are we expected to improve and grow in the North when we are not even offering the opportunity for growth? I know several students who recently enrolled and several more who are planning on doing so next year. They will now have to take their SFA loans from ECE and hand the money over to southern schools rather than putting the money back in to the North."

Mr. Speaker, with this decision our future social workers may be recruited and trained in southern Canada, so by definition they'll arrive here at the start of a new learning curve. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I wonder, will southern students participate in week-long cultural camp, on the land, with elders? Will southern students know how empowering it is to participate in a feeding of the fire ceremony? Will graduates from southern schools understand the cultural barriers to northern social work? Will they have familiarity with the impact of residential schools here in the North? These questions are already answered when we support a made-in-the-North social work program.

Mr. Speaker, I find myself unable to support this decision and I urge the Minister of Education to review and re-evaluate this decision with some urgency. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to public in the gallery. We have with us Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford, former commissioner, Speaker, Minister, Sergeant-at-Arms and honorary clerk of the Legislative Assembly.

We also have a former Member, Jane Groenewegen, Deputy Premier, Minister, Member of the 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th Legislative Assembly.

Last but not least we have Ms. Sandy Lee, former Minister and Member of the 14th, 15th, 16th Legislative Assembly. We have a total combined years of legislative experience 40-plus years. Masi.

Thanks for being here with us. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to speak on a terrible time in Canadian history and part of our national history that we must acknowledge, and I'm doing so today because of a recent court ruling that found in favour of those Indigenous peoples who were victimized by what is known now as the Sixties Scoop.

Mr. Speaker, the Sixties Scoop was wrong, a by-product of the ignorance of colonization, and those affected deserve to be compensated, and I'm pleased to see that the courts have ruled on the right side of history.

Mr. Speaker, the Sixties Scoop placed Indigenous children in non-Indigenous homes from 1965 to 1984 under terms of federal-provincial agreements. Some were sent from their traditional territory and families to places as far off as Europe or the southern United States. Some were purchased for up to $30,000 while others were given away callously as so-called freebies, and some were placed in the foster system, going from group to group, group home to group home, always alone and never knowing that they had those who loved them and wanted them awaiting them in their traditional homes. They were forced to give them up to a heartless and misguided policy.

Canadians can never apologize enough for the unnecessary pain caused by the Sixties Scoop, nor should we ever stop apologizing, but we can begin to take ownership of the wrongs committed on behalf of all of us by our government of the day and continue the process of reconciliation with Indigenous people affected by this and the legacy of colonization across the country. Courts will compensate them financially through this new ruling, that is clear, but we can do more.

We can assure that cultural identity will never again be stolen by misguided policies of colonial thinking. Through our education system, we can ensure that our teachers tell the truth of our history, even those parts that are difficult to hear. We can assist our social workers tasked with helping those dealing with the trauma from our own history and our own misguided policies, but we cannot begin to do this, Mr. Speaker, without ensuring that these initiatives for reconciliation are properly resourced and supported by this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament. As I explained last year, this tournament is a bit unique in that they don't keep score, nor do they have winners or losers. The focus is on the athletes having fun and playing the sport. Besides playing the sport, the youth are given the opportunity to attend a couple of skills development sessions and a skills competition.

This year, we had athletes from Trout Lake; Fort Liard; Annex, Alberta; Grande Prairie, Alberta; Nahanni Butte; and Fort Simpson.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that parents and families of the athletes from out of town did an amazing job. They were great athletes, sportsmen, and ambassadors of the community. It was amazing to see all their smiling faces and the fun that they were having this weekend.

As well, I would like to say the Fort Simpson (Bompas) athletes were great hosts, great team players, and really enjoyed the games and, most importantly, making new friends from the region.

Mr. Speaker, it was great to see all the parents out there supporting all the teams. Whether it was the U14 division or the U12 division, it did not matter which team was playing. They were cheering on all the athletes and encouraging them on.

Mr. Speaker, a special shout-out goes to the recreation staff from TSS School and the TSS students and volunteers who ran the concession and meal program for the out-of-town athletes. A great job done by all.

I would like to thank the Fort Simpson High Performance Soccer players and parents who were helping with the coaching and refereeing throughout the weekend. It was great to see this capacity being built. I take great pride when I see younger athletes paying back to the sport. The same can be said about the young coaches and chaperones from Fort Liard, Chase Berrault, James Duntra, and Arlene McLeod, and Sambaa K’e's coaches, Beth Jumbo and Tyler Jumbo. I say a big thank you to you.

To the Mackenzie Recreation Association, Municipal and Community Affairs, and the Village of Fort Simpson, thank you for funding and supporting this event. Money well-invested.

In closing, a big special thank you to Jackie Whelly and Ashley Gillis for helping organize and running this whole tournament. Mr. Speaker, I would like to encourage my colleagues to give them a big round of applause. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, GNWT... [English translation not provided].

Mr. Speaker, access to affordable power is one of our biggest barriers to economic development and one of the main drivers of our cost of living.

Mr. Speaker, the Town of Hay River recently sought a new franchise agreement with an electrical power provider. This process led to the selection of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Whether NTPC takes over all of the assets of Northland Utilities, the town's current power provider in the region is unknown at this time. We also don't know what impact that may have on the Hay River Reserve, Enterprise, Kakisa, and Fort Providence. Deh Cho communities are concerned about who is going to keep the lights on.

Mr. Speaker, NTPC... [English translation not provided].

Mr. Speaker, the immediate concern of people in my riding is how they will continue to be supplied with electricity and at what cost. The PR campaign by NTPC and Northland Utilities on electricity rates affects consumers. It is adversarial, not constructive, and they don't know who to believe.

Mr. Speaker, small Deh Cho communities like Kakisa have potential to switch to renewable energy sources successfully, but that is only part of the puzzle.

Mr. Speaker, as leaders of the NWT, we have an immediate opportunity to make good decisions about the future of NTPC, the future of power provision in our territory, and how we communicate that to the public. For decades, we have needed energy solutions for our small, remote communities that fit into the specific long-term goals and future energy planning for the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, right now, Deh Cho communities need to be enlightened and want answers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the last sitting I drew the Assembly's attention to the findings of a report by YWCA Yellowknife. It's called "Hush Hush No More: Improving NWT Community Response to Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls." I pointed out a number of the report's troubling findings and its recommendations for improvements. The report documents a continuing culture of secrecy and non-disclosure surrounding violence. It's hush-hush when fewer than 10 per cent of victims report what happened to them to the police. Without reporting, victims say they feel powerless and blame themselves for what happened. To change this outcome, the report says it's important to non-judgmentally support people who disclose sexual violence, and government departments need to effectively respond to victims who report being assaulted.

Recently, a local woman came to me with her story of physical and sexual assault, of the intimidation she has suffered from her accused attacker, and of the ineffective response by police and the court. Despite being released on condition of staying away from her, the accused has repeatedly harassed and intimidated her. She has reported to the police about being intimidated a total of four times. The result? Nothing. The conditions of release are violated. The victim complains. The abuser continues to walk the streets.

I'll quote a few of the remarks given to me describing this situation:

"When I started this whole process of going to the police due to domestic violence, I was assured protection. I was naive. I didn't realize on how many levels I was not going to receive protection and feel victimized repeatedly."

Here is another quote:

"The people who are in place to protect me are sick of my reporting to them. I hear it in their voices. I see it in their eyes. I, in turn, am sick of being treated like a chronic complainer."

Another quote: "I now wish I had not gone to the police because the system's gross insensitivity towards the victim now makes me feel more vulnerable than ever."

Finally:

"Despite their 'domestic violence is a crime and we can help' posters that are everywhere, I cannot in good conscience send some poor vulnerable woman there because they will be more exposed than ever."

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Hush hush no more. It is hard to imagine a more damning indictment of the protection of victims. When a victim who reports is made to feel a nuisance, when conditions of release are violated with no consequence, enforcement practices must change. I will have questions for the Justice Minister. Mahsi.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. Regular MLAs have become accustomed to the lack of consultation around this government's engagement with the federal government. Examples of this include:

● no consultation prior to signing the pan Canadian framework on climate change;

● no input into the NWT position before signing off on a 10-year health accord that means less than the original offer;

● no consultation on priorities taken to Ottawa during a week-long entire Cabinet visit on climate change priorities; and

● very few meetings of Regular MLAs with federal Ministers during visits to the Northwest Territories.

I will look at just one of these examples of Cabinet's inability or unwillingness to work with Regular MLAs. All of Cabinet went to Ottawa November 21-24 last year. No representative of standing committees was invited to attend. We found out about this trip just five days before the trip while some of us were at the Geoscience Forum: we were sent an e-mail with a letter informing us that the three priorities to be pitched were as follows:

● expanding and joining the Taltson system to southern grids;

● renewable solutions for off-grid communities; and

● all-weather roads for adapting to climate impacts.

None of these projects will deal in a significant way with greenhouse gas emissions from the Northwest Territories, where 24 per cent of emissions are from non-renewable resource development. Replacing diesel in communities is definitely a good thing and will help reduce the cost of living, but this is a relatively small portion of emissions. In any event, a better priority would have been a major housing energy retrofit program that would put people to work in their own communities, reduce the cost of living, and improve our housing stock.

While criticizing Cabinet for not working with Regular MLAs on federal engagement, I do have solutions, Mr. Speaker. The following would be a good start:

● rather than just giving Regular MLAs notice of upcoming meetings with federal Ministers, ask committees what issues and positions should be put forward;

● regular reporting on meetings with federal Ministers and any results that would be helpful; I thank the Premier for his Minister's statement this morning, earlier today, on his meeting with the Prime Minister;

● recommend and help arrange for federal Ministers to meet with Regular MLAs, possibly through relevant standing committees; and

● consult with Regular MLAs on GNWT negotiating positions before final sign-off on federal-provincial-territorial agreements.

I will have questions for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations to seek commitments on working better with Regular MLAs on federal engagement. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, every summer, a community somewhere experiences a devastating wildfire that threatens lives, homes, and important infrastructure.

Mr. Speaker, Fort McPherson's Wildland Fire Protection Plan was finalized in 2012. It recommended improving the community's fuelbreaks and helping people reduce fire hazards on their properties by getting rid of dead brush and controlling the vegetation growing around their homes.

Mr. Speaker, Fort McPherson's fuelbreaks were established in the 1980s and are overgrown and ineffective.

Mr. Speaker, in 2014 the community was ready to do work necessary to improve the firebreaks, but then forest fires broke out in the southern part of the Northwest Territories, and in the record-breaking season that followed the Fort McPherson plans were put on hold, Mr. Speaker.

Again in 2015, efforts were focused on the southern part of the Northwest Territories. Again, Fort McPherson has had to wait. The fire hazard for the main part of the community itself is relatively low, except for the southwest corner. The east cabins outside the community, along the Dempster Highway, are at an extreme risk. The wooden structures are surrounded by dense spruce forest.

Mr. Speaker, we saw in 2014 and 2015 forest fires can be virtually unstoppable. The fire in Fort McMurray this past year showed how a large, well-resourced community can be destroyed in just a short time. Mr. Speaker, Fort McPherson is in a remote forested area of the Delta. It is still in a lot of danger if a wildfire was nearby. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you colleagues. Mr. Speaker, community wildland fire protection plans are becoming a national standard for responsible wildland fire management. This critical first step will only reduce homeowners' and communities' risks if they take the next step. A plan is no good if it is not put into action. Climate change is leading to more and more severe forest fires, as well as longer fire seasons.

Mr. Speaker, it may be cold out now, but spring is just around the corner. Now is the time to commit to do the work required to protect Fort McPherson and other communities from the threat of the coming fire season. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to forest fires, no one should be able to tell us we did too little too late. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions later today.

Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has become a tradition of mine to make statements in this House about the government's lack of support for ground ambulance and highway rescue services. Today the tradition continues. I wasn't planning on continuing it today. It has become frustrating and exhausting, frankly. I have brought this issue up during every business planning session, during the deliberation of the main estimates, during departmental briefings, and during many, many committee meetings.

During the last briefing we received from the department, we were informed that the little funding directed toward highway rescue was being cut from the budget, despite the Minister acknowledging that a real fix to the problem will cost millions. Luckily, that meagre sum was added back to the budget, and communities can still apply for a pittance to help them do millions of dollars of work on the GNWT's behalf. That is a great deal for the government.

Despite my frustration with all this, I decided to do another statement because in my research I came across some exciting and encouraging news. I came across the fall edition of the MACA update, and it reenergized me. Let me read from it:

For several years, community governments and other stakeholders have raised concerns about the lack of a comprehensive coordinated system of ground ambulance and highway rescue services in the North and about the need for clarity with regard to service levels, responsibility for service delivery, and associated funding. There have been several studies done on this issue which have proposed a series of options ranging from maintaining the status quo to a legislated program delivery mandate supported by the GNWT. MACA and the Department of Health and Social Services are working towards a legislative framework and coordinated program delivery. The departments are currently engaged in data collection and establishing monitoring mechanisms to determine uses and costs of current service delivery.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, this is the type of progress we need.

Now if the Ministers of MACA and Health and Social Services are a little confused it's because they might not be familiar with this publication. If they would like to be brought up to speed, I suggest they talk to the two former Health and Social Service Ministers in the gallery because this update was published during their terms in 2007.

Mr. Speaker, why do I have to ask the government to do what they said they were going to do 10 years ago? I'm going to have questions for the Minister of MACA later because that's where this file seems to have landed, and I hope the answers I receive aren't read by another MLA 10 years from now in the same position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Members' statements. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Item 5, returns to oral questions. Item 6, recognition of visitors in gallery.

Colleagues, I'd like to draw your attention to the people in the Gallery.

I am pleased to recognize a group of trainees attending a Tlicho interpreter/translator course from Behchoko. We have with us Terry Nasken, Margorie Black, Regina Lafferty, Joe Beaverho and Henry Mantla. They are five of the 25 students who are training to be interpreters and translators. Also, trainees from Goyatiko Language Society: Jeannie Martin, Alice Wilfladt and Dennis Drygeese. Their program instructor Maro Sundberg is with us as well. Masi for joining us.

Colleagues, I'd also like to recognize that all the delegates are here today from across the North who are participating in the Daughters of the Vote, which is an initiative of Equal Voice Canada; a national multi-partisan organization dedicated to electing more women to all levels of politics. I'd like to welcome them and masi for being here with us.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to welcome and recognize all the participants of the Daughters of the Vote program. In particular, I want to take this opportunity to welcome Yellowknife North residents Emily Smith and Coco Paulette. Also, as you alluded to earlier, a man of many accolades and distinguished titles but also a Yellowknife North resident, I'd like to welcome Mr. Tony Whitford, and, of course, it's very nice to see former MLA Sandy Lee and Jane Groenewegen in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge the Daughters of the Vote delegates who are in the gallery today, and I'd like to give special thanks to Jane Groenewegen and Sandy Lee for the trailblazers that they were in sitting in this House and serving it with great distinction. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize some young ladies from Daughters of the Vote. First I'd like to recognize Laney Beaulieu. Laney Beaulieu is my brother Danny's granddaughter. I'd like to recognize two other young girls whose families originate from Fort Resolution: Jaylene Delorme-Buggins, Olivia Villebrun. Also, I'd like to recognize Dennis Drygeese and Maro Sundberg. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to you and through you I'd like to recognize a resident of the Great Slave riding as well as a delegate of the Daughters of the Vote initiative. Ms. Nha Ly, thank you so much for being here today. Thank you.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to acknowledge some of the people who I consider role models at the Legislative Assembly: Mr. Tony Whitford, for all his service that he's provided to us; Sandy Lee and Jane Groenewegen, for being role models to all women to say that we need to get into political life, into the Legislative Assembly.

I want to also welcome the Equal Voice Canada here. I want to acknowledge the Daughters of the Vote, huge that they're there, and, of course, Olivia Villebrun, who will be our representative going to Ottawa to take part in 338 women taking part in the Equal Voice, which is important.

I want to say that 1960, the year I was born, was the year that Aboriginal women got their right to vote, and it's really exciting to see. That may seem a long time for you; for me it's like the day I was born.

---Laughter

So in my short lifespan it's exciting to see that we've gone from a place that we actually got the right to vote to having almost 20 young women sitting in the audience taking part and considering sitting in my chair and Julie's chair. Thank you.

And his chair.

Masi. Almost sounded like a Member's statement.

---Laughter.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Frame Lake.

Merci, monsieur le President. I, too, would like to recognize a constituent in the gallery, Jacq Brasseur. She is one of the delegates for the Daughters of the Vote group here in Yellowknife that's working with Equal Voice Canada. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize and welcome all the delegates for Daughters of the Vote. We do have two participants from Inuvik, who knows, might be taking over the Member for Range Lake’s position here. Ms. Alyssa Ross and Ms. Raven Firth, welcome, and I hope you enjoy the proceedings as well as take a very good understanding role in the work that we do as the 19 legislators of the Assembly.

I'd also like to recognize Ms. Sandy Lee, Ms. Jane Groenewegen and Mr. Tony Whitford for all the work that they've done in this House and I would also like to thank the participants from the interpreter and translator program, a very important program continuing our languages of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nahendeh.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome the Daughters of the Vote from NWT, in particular my riding Reannda Cli. Then, of course, I have to lump and tell a little bit of a story because there are four ladies who actually I've had the opportunity to work with through the Youth Ambassador's program: Alyssa Ross, Raven Firth, and Olivia Villebrun, and I'm supposed not to embarrass her so I will not do that. As well, I'd be remiss -- I would be really remiss not to recognize Jane Groenewegen because she's done that a number of times when I've been up there. So thank you very much.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to, as others have, recognize the past Members Tony Whitford, Jane Groenewegen, and Sandy Lee for all their contributions to this Assembly. In addition, I'd like to recognize all the Daughters of the Vote delegates here, in particular Olivia Villebrun of Fort Smith. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River South.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome all of the participants of the Daughters of the Vote, in particular Kiera Boulanger-Rowe from Hay River South who also participated in the Hay River session, I believe, for getting women into politics.

I, too, would like to also recognize Jane Groenewegen, Sandy Lee, and Tony Whitford for all the work they've done, and I'm going to take this opportunity to wish my wife happy Valentine's Day.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a former Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Tony Whitford. I'd also like to recognize, along with the many honourable Members here, the Daughters of the Vote; those who will come after us and take these seats. Thank you for letting us keep your seats warm.

I'd also like to recognize Mrs. Groenewegen and Ms. Lee for their many years of public service and their contributions to political life in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to welcome everyone, all the girls from Daughters of the Vote and, in particular, Chukita Elias-Gruben who is my cousin from Tuktoyaktuk. Welcome. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Lots of constituents in the crowd today. I would like to welcome Jaylene Delorme-Buggins who is here with Daughters of the Vote; Beatrice Lepine; Myrtle Graham; and, of course, Jane Groenewegen; and someone who seems to be here all the time, my father, Rocky Simpson.

Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we missed someone in the gallery, welcome to our proceedings. It is always great to have an audience as part of our proceedings. Happy Valentine's, everyone. Item 7, acknowledgements. Member for Nahendeh.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to congratulate four young female soccer players who are being selected to the U16 North American Indigenous Games soccer team. They are Leona Berrault, Briann Nelson, both from Fort Nelson; Akesha Hardisty-Norwegian from Fort Simpson; and Shaznay Waugh from Fort Simpson. As well, we have two who were selected as alternates, Mikala McLeod from Fort Liard and Emily Hardisty from Fort Simpson. On behalf of the communities, their parents, and coaches, we are very proud of their accomplishment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Congratulations to the athletes, as well. Item 8, oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier my Member's statement was on the rights under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, and my questions are for the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations. Mr. Speaker, my first question is: what is the update on the status of the negotiations between the Inuvialuit, Canada, and the GNWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to report that the negotiations on Inuvialuit self-government between the Inuvialuit, Canada, and the Government of the Northwest Territories are going very well. As a matter of fact, negotiators are meeting this week in Aklavik, and the negotiations are going so well that we expect that a final agreement can be concluded within the next few months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate that answer from the Premier. Mr. Speaker, my second question is: what additional rights would this agreement provide the Inuvialuit?

The Inuvialuit self-government agreement, once finalized, it will implement the inherent right to self-government in the Inuvialuit settlement region. This agreement will provide the Inuvialuit the authority to deliver a broad range of programs and services, including social envelope authority such as K to 12 education, child and family services, and income support.

I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my third question is: once the agreement is settled, how does the Minister expect the Inuvialuit's relationship with the GNWT to change?

This agreement will begin a new phase in the relationship between the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Inuvialuit government, and that relationship will continue to evolve as the Inuvialuit take on more responsibility for the delivery of programs and services and pass their own laws, similar to the evolving relationship with the Deline Self-Government Agreement.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, my final question on the agreement is: what implications would the final self-government agreement have for the Legislative Assembly and the role of the MLA from the Inuvialuit settlement region? Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our expectation is that the Legislative Assembly will continue its role as the public government in the Northwest Territories, including representation from communities in the Inuvialuit settlement region. As the Member knows, the Prime Minister recently signed a new declaration, the Crown Inuit Declaration, I think he called it. This is a reflection of their new, improved, ongoing collaboration with Aboriginal governments. We are looking forward to seeing how that all rolls out going forward.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the status of the electrical transmission that is affecting my riding. My questions today are for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. What is the status of NTPC's takeover of the Hay River power franchise, and how will it impact power rates in Fort Providence, Kakisa, Enterprise, and the Hay River Reserve? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As this House well knows, the Town of Hay River has decided several years ago to seek other providers for the franchise in Hay River. Currently, that matter has gone to arbitration to determine the price. So evaluators are being hired and, ultimately, the arbitrator will make a decision as to price.

That, of course, is only for the Hay River franchise. My understanding is that the other franchise arrangements that ATCO and Northland has will not be affected by that, but we believe that, assuming a reasonable valuation of the assets comes in and is provided to the arbitrator, that ultimately the price of power in Hay River will decline. Thank you.

In the meantime, communities remain uncertain in terms of the fate of the assets that perhaps could affect the price of electricity that is delivered into the homes, so communities are asking what resources are available to help community governments understand their power franchise agreements and how they work?

If there are other franchise agreements, as I understand there are, they are subject to negotiation between the parties. I am assuming the municipal governments that entered into these arrangements did the proper research. Of course, ultimately, decisions are made by the public utilities board.

Thank you to the Minister for his reply. Can the Minister describe the Government of the Northwest Territories' working relationship with Northland Utilities?

The Government of the Northwest Territories does recognize that Northland Utilities is a good corporate citizen. I can advise that the Premier and I did have the opportunity of meeting with senior management of Northland and ATCO, I think it was a couple of months ago. It was an amicable meeting, and we have a good relationship with them.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My final question is: what role does the government envision for Northland Utilities in the future of power supply in the NWT? Mahsi.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Northland was involved in the energy strategy. I understand they made submissions and had meetings with the government. As to what will take place in the future, that is to be determined. We do recognize that they are a good corporate citizen. We value their participation in the energy industry.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently the Prime Minister of Canada visited the Northwest Territories, and one of the discussions we have been having across the country and in this community is on democratic reform. Certainly, there are many constitutional challenges with some models of governance in the Northwest Territories, but today I would like to ask the Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency if this government has a position on democratic reform that they've shared with the Government of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Minister responsible for Public Engagement and Transparency.

No, we haven't.

Thank you to the Minister. I'm thankful that we don't have a position because I didn't know about it and I don't think my honourable friends know about it as well.

Does the Minister feel that this is a discussion that we could bring forth to Northerners? Certainly, there are fewer constitutional challenges with proportional representation or alternative voting here in our jurisdiction. So is the Minister considering public engagement on democratic reform in the Northwest Territories?

As the Prime Minister found out, this is a real jungle. For hundreds of years we've had the first-past-the-post system, and I think it's served us quite well. I don't think the government wants to engage in that sort of massive overhaul of the voting system.

Well, Mr. Speaker, there's a big difference between a system that encompasses 34 million Canadians and a system that encompasses 40,000 Northerners. I think that we have options here, and national opinion polls show that the majority of Canadians want to engage in this discussion; they want to be consulted. This is an area I think that we've seen a lot of attention. So given that the Minister's job in this portfolio is open government, can he commit to at least starting to look at a discussion paper that could be shared with Members on this side of the House and with members of the public on options for democratic reform in the Northwest Territories?

This is a very busy government. All of the MLAs are very busy. People may want reform, but there doesn't seem to be any obvious solution in the sense that when asked people have many different ideas about what a new system of voting could look like, and I just don't think that this government feels that changing the current system, which has worked well for many years, would be a high priority or a priority at all.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister sits on the Standing Committee of Rules and Procedures; they're currently looking at a report that recommends 43 changes to our electoral system. Is the Minister saying that he categorically refuses to acknowledge any of those recommendations and will not be proceeding with any of those changes, or is he only talking about proportional representation?

I think it's clear he answers that question. I'm not asking him to be the Prime Minister of Canada here and address a national concern; I'm asking him to address issues here at home. We do have this report and he has seen it; he's certainly on that committee. So can he answer if he accepts that report, some of the -- and how much of that report he accepts? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, there can always be changes to and improvements in the manner in which we conduct voting in the Northwest Territories. The change that I think is suggested by the Member opposite would, I think, tie up the Assembly to such an extent that it would not be worth the effort.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. As I mentioned in my Member's statement, the cancelled Aurora College program contained specific content that was inclusive of northern communities and our cultures. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister believe that sending students to southern schools for training and social work can replace the crucial cultural content that's important for working in northern communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I don't. Any students who go through our current education system go through an Aboriginal language culture-based education, so they get all the relevant information, the experiences, on-the-land programs, languages in their schools and their communities, and anyone who hasn't received it and comes back to the Northwest Territories GNWT does also have a cultural awareness program through the Human Resources Department. As well, we do have teacher cultural orientation days that our department has made mandatory to anybody who comes and works for the department of ECE. That includes southerners who have never been in the North before, and it's mandatory. You learn about residential school experiences, the education system. So we're preparing our teachers and our workers for the communities that they will be working in.

Currently, we do have 19 Northerners who are attending the social work program out of the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his fulsome reply. Mr. Speaker, while the graduation rates of this program were low, enrolment rates seem to be trending upward, indicating that there's significant interest in the program. What steps has the department been taking to ensure that enrolling students are prepared for the demands of this program?

We're always in consultation with the executive and the staff over at the Aurora College, looking at their programs and how we support one another and some of the tough decisions that do have to be made. Any students who are looking at going into a social work program or any program that is post-secondary, we have career development officers in our regional offices, employment transition officers. We also have career guidance counsellors in the schools, and our CDOs are actually going and working in the schools, and that's an emphasis that we did put on them. So there are many areas that we're working with students to get them in the right direction to get them to post-secondary education, whether it's at Aurora College or another institute across Canada.

Thanks to the Minister for his reply. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, it's clear to all of us in this Assembly that, as a society, our social ills in the NWT seem to be worsening. How is it achieving our mandate goals as a government and, in particular, our obligations under the calls to action on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to cancel this program? What kind of effects is that going to have on us? Cancelling this program, what kind of effects is that going to have in us meeting our mandate priorities and our TRC obligations?

I do believe we're meeting our mandate as well as some of the recommendations that came out of the TRC Report. They are recommendations, but our government was doing a lot of this work already. We did present this to our Council of Ministers of Education across Canada this past summer. A lot of jurisdictions took interest into the work that we're doing here in the Northwest Territories in our curriculum, in our early childhood programming, so that they can look at what we're doing to meet those recommendations, and I feel that we are a leader across Canada meeting some of those recommendations out of the Truth and Reconciliation Report.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I talked about the funding for junior kindergarten. I'd like to ask the Minister questions along those lines. The Minister said that junior kindergarten is fully funded, but we keep hearing from the boards and that that there is no inclusion of inclusive schooling or Aboriginal instruction with the four-year-olds who are going into junior kindergarten. So I'd just like to ask the Minister what "fully funded" means. Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the Budget Address this government did commit to fully funding junior kindergarten, and based on questions around inclusive schooling, Aboriginal language culture-based education, as the Member has mentioned. Our department continues to name those funding levels. So inclusive schooling is self-funded. What we are funding, it is actually above what we are legislated to do. The Aboriginal culture-based education, we are continuing to fund those as well. When we are talking about the implementation of junior kindergarten, we took into consideration a new funding model that included student enrolments, staff complements, teacher salaries, as well as some of the changes that we have done through the Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling that has since changed since we first initially wanted to do the implementation of junior kindergarten to where we are now. There has been a lot of research and a lot of work done to get this moved to this point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister tell the House what the original budget for junior kindergarten was when it was first budgeted? What was the original budget when the plan to roll out junior kindergarten was first hatched?

That goes back to the 17th Legislative Assembly. I don't have that initial detail, but I can get that number for the Member and get back to him.

The Minister explained inclusive schooling and the funding levels as per the NWT Ministerial Directive on Inclusive Schooling. I think it was indicated that 15 per cent would be the amount for inclusive schooling. Education is funding at 17 per cent. Having said that, I think that, even if we fund junior kindergarten at 15 per cent, it would still be fairly significant. My understanding is that the original budget was over $7 million, if not higher. If you just calculate 15 per cent on that, that seems to be -- I am not understanding how the fact that they are funding K to 12 at a level higher than the directive has any positive impact on the funding of junior kindergarten. I am asking again if the Minister can tell us what the funding level includes, not the fact that they are funding over, but what does it include when you add the junior kindergarten students into that school system in NWT.

The money that was allocated during this government to implement junior kindergarten was $5.1 million. We are currently working with education boards to see how we are going to roll that out with the enrolments of students and families putting their four-year-olds into the school system. Junior kindergarten itself will not have an impact on inclusive schooling. As we mentioned before, the four-year-olds will be in the school system, so they will have access to extra resources, extra supports throughout the entire school.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was hoping to clarify the funding model for junior kindergarten, but I think people listening to this will just be more confused. I don't understand how we could exclude something and then still indicate that it is funded. The greatest bang for the buck that education could spend would be on the youngest students that we have. If we are excluding inclusive schooling, if we are excluding Aboriginal language, among other things -- my understanding is money was taken out of education renewal to fund some of the junior kindergarten. My question is, originally, when junior kindergarten was rolled out or portions of junior kindergarten, about $2 million was needed in order to roll out the first portion of junior kindergarten. Is that $2 million no longer considered to be part of the funding of junior kindergarten? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That money helped roll out junior kindergarten to 20 of our 33 communities across the Northwest Territories and is an ongoing funding that we are moving forward with. It is the same with the new dollars that are coming through. As we roll out junior kindergarten, it will be funding that will be provided to our education authorities. With inclusive schooling, it seems like it is a concern of the Member. We also work with the Department of Health and Social Services to provide a range of programs and services to diagnose and support children with disabilities and developmental needs. We are very flexible with a wraparound model to help support children and youth with complex needs in the years when they enter the school, transitioning into the high school, and throughout their school careers.