Thank you, Mr. Chair, and yes, I do. Mr. Chair, Members, I am pleased to present the 2018-2019 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Overall, the department's estimates proposed an increase of $12.462 million or 4 per cent over the 2017-2018 Main Estimates. Improving education outcomes and student success requires ongoing support from early childhood to post-secondary education and training, and our 2018-2019 Main Estimates reflect this approach.

The highlights of our main estimates include:

• $2.7 million from the federal Early Learning and Childcare Agreement that will be used to increase the accessibility and participation in quality early childhood development programs, services, and supports;

• $2.1 million to offset the costs associated with the territorial implementation of junior kindergarten. As well, due to lower enrolments, we will direct an additional $881,000 towards providing inclusive schooling funding for junior kindergarten students;

• $1.6 million to expand the Distance Learning Program in four additional small communities. This is the first year of a three-year rollout aimed at bringing this much-needed programming to all 20 small communities;

• $1.4 million to establish six new career and education advisors, who will engage with students and youth to help them make informed decisions about their education and career paths;

• $1.7 million to address the increased demand on the income assistance program;

• $478,000 to adjust program inequities in our income assistance and student financial assistance programs; and

• $4.6 million in funding from Canadian Heritage to revitalize, preserve, and enhance official Indigenous languages and to provide services and communications in French.

These increases will be offset by sunsetting programs such as the $1.25 million Labour Market Development Agreement which expires March 31, 2018, and our final year of reductions totalling $763,000.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment continues to work to meet the priorities of the 18th Legislative Assembly. Among many of its planned activities, I would like to highlight some key initiatives that will be undertaken in 2018-2019:

• The introduction of a renewed policy on junior kindergarten to grade 12 Indigenous languages and education that will help clarify the role schools have in the revitalization of Indigenous languages and indigenizing education in schools;

• The department will work in collaboration with the Department of Health and Social Services to roll out a new school and community child and youth care counselling program. We will utilize existing and new resources to establish full-time youth mental health counsellors, with positions in the Deh Cho and Tlicho regions. For the smallest communities, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment will continue with the travelling model of mental health support that has already been successfully piloted;

• Informed by the findings of the foundational review, Aurora College will complete a strategic plan that will help meet the needs of our labour market demands. The department is embarking on a new and exciting path towards expanded opportunities for post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories and is developing legislation for the creation of an overarching legislative framework to govern post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. This work is a critical step toward increasing post-secondary opportunities for NWT residents;

• We will implement the Small Community Employment Strategy, focused on increasing and maximizing training and employment opportunities for residents and improving employment outcomes in small communities;

• The department will be implementing changes to its social assistance programs that will help to reduce the costs of living, support seniors to age in place, and reduce poverty by increasing the income of low- and modest-income residents. This will include change to our Senior Home Heating Subsidy and will expand the program to include seniors who have heating expenses in rental units and remove the phase-out percentages for income thresholds;

• Completion of a new four-year Government of the Northwest Territories Culture and Heritage Action Plan that will highlight and outline culturally-appropriate programming through the Government of the Northwest Territories.

These are a few of the highlights for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. I look forward to working with Members to advance our priorities and the mandate actions related to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Chair, that concludes my opening remarks, and I welcome any questions from the Members. Thank you, Mr. Chair.