This is page numbers 437 - 482 of the Hansard for the 19th 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.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Monfwi.

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty Monfwi

Masi, Madam Speaker. I believe we need to do more work in this area, improvements, so I would like to suggest one area. So far, from what I've heard, I'm voicing concerns for these individuals who cannot speak for themselves. Their parents, their family members came to me, so I'm raising that issue. We are currently being dictated to by a southern firm, I believe it's called Bosco Homes, on how to run this centre. After all these years, why haven't we got a northern contractor providing these valuable services to our children, to provide northern perspectives? Masi, Madam Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

I get what the Member is saying and, to be honest, this Territorial Treatment Centre is something that I have just been recently briefed on; as far as this morning, actually. It is something that, if we have children in care, I think it's important that we design some of our programming that is culturally relevant, that we improve services, and that we have a look at what are some of the culturally relevant services that are applicable to those clients who are in care right now. I understand that the age group is quite, you know, young ages that are in the facility.

In regard to the contract, this is something that I'm not fully aware on the length of the contract or what are some of the rules or any of the stuff that is in the contract. I'm sorry, Madam Speaker, but it's something I can look into, and I understand the frustration from the Member. I can get back to the Member on some of the details. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Time for oral questions has expired; we'll be moving on. Item 11, written questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Mahsi cho, Madam Speaker. I have some written questions on educational facilities directed toward the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment:

  1. What standards or methods do the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have or use to assess whether educational facilities meet the physical requirements for existing educational priorities and teaching methods?
  2. Has the Department of Education, Culture and Employment conducted an audit of the existing learning space at Kalemi Dene School to determine whether the present-day educational priorities and teaching methods are being met for both the community at large and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment?
  3. What plans, if any, including design documents, is the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in possession or aware of for future expansions to Kalemi Dene School, i.e., classrooms and a gym, in Ndilo?
  4. Ecole Allain St-Cyr in Yellowknife was granted approval to for a new gymnasium, despite not meeting the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's Capital Standards and Criteria subsection 4.3, which determines when a school is considered in need of a new gym based on the number of student enrolees, based on charter-protected language rights. Will the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, in tandem with other departments, consider putting similar language safeguards in place for schools that teach Indigenous languages in the Northwest Territories, given that our territory has 11 official languages in total?

Mahsi cho, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Written questions. Item 12, returns to written questions. Item 13, replies to the Commissioner's address. Item 14, petitions. Item 15, tabling of documents. Minister for Health and Social Services.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish to table the following document: "Our Ever Awesome NWT Brushing Song!" book by Richard Van Camp and Neiva Mateus. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Tabling of documents. Item 16, notices of motion. Item 17, motions. Item 18, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 19, first reading of bills. Item 20, second reading of bills. Item 21, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 30-19(2), Main Estimates 2020-2021; and Tabled Document 43-19(2); Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 1, 2020-2021.

By the authority given to me as Speaker by Motion 1-19(2), I hereby authorize the House to sit beyond the daily hours of adjournment to consider business before the House. I will now have the Member for Yellowknife Centre in the chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

What is the wish of committee, Mr. Norn?

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 446

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Mahsi cho, Madam Chair. Committee wishes to deal with Tabled Document 30-19(2), Main Estimates, 2020-2021, with the Department of Justice, and then the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 446

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Norn. We will resume that work after a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 446

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Good afternoon, colleagues. Colleagues, we are considering the budget for the Department of Justice. We left off on page 279. I'm wondering what the wish of the committee is with the Department of Justice. Mr. Norn.

Steve Norn

Steve Norn Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Mahsi cho, Madam Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Justice at this time. Mahsi cho, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Norn. I see the motion is being distributed. Is there any discussion on this motion? Seeing none, can we vote on this motion? All those in favour, please indicate on the motion to defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Justice. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

We will defer further consideration of the Department of Justice. We will now turn to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Does the Minister have any opening remarks?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Yes, I do, Madam Chair, thank you. I am here to present the 2020-2021 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $8.858 million, or 2.7 percent, over the 2019-2020 Main Estimates. These estimates support our fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending while matching the modest expected revenue growth over the coming year.

The increase is primarily related to forced growth funding. The proposed estimates reflect:

  • $5.866 million for collective bargaining increases in the department, Aurora College, and education bodies;
  • $2.033 million to address increased demand on the Income Security Program;
  • $269,000 to provide for an adjustment to the funding provided to education bodies for student transportation; and
  • $129,000 for a new time-limited position to address the increased volume of requests from the public for day school student records.

The proposed estimates also reflect a total increase of $1.052 million to continue initiatives approved in prior years. This amount is comprised of:

  • $604,000 for the expansion of the Northern Distance Learning program into 20 communities in 2020-2021;
  • $319,000 for the continued implementation of a Territorial Student Support Team that provides specialized health and mental health supports and guidance for school staff programming for students with complex needs; and
  • $129,000 for the continued development of a grade 11 and grade 12 Northern Studies curriculum.

The increase is slightly offset by a decrease of $636,000 in total to reflect funding scheduled to sunset on March 31, 2020. The sunsets reflect year-over-year changes in departmental activities under both the Canada-NWT Workforce Development Agreement and the Canada-NWT Early Learning and Child Care Agreement; the ending of time-limited funding to assist education bodies to implement safe school plans; and the year-over-year changes in departmental activities of the Skills 4 Success territorial support team.

These estimates continue to support the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly by:

  • increasing student outcomes by providing students with access to high-quality education and supports, regardless of the community they live in or the size of their school;
  • increasing employment in small communities through strategic partnership with federal and Indigenous governments;
  • advancing universal childcare by working with the federal government and childcare operators to increase availability and reduce the costs of childcare in all our communities; and
  • working toward the creation of a polytechnic university by continuing engagement with Indigenous governments, communities, industry, and other key stakeholder to inform wide-ranging improvements to Aurora College's governance, programs, and students supports.

That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Do you have any witnesses you wish to bring into the House?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Yes, I do.

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber. Would the Minister please introduce his witnesses.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Madam Chair. To my left is Ms. Rita Mueller, the deputy minister of the department; on my right is Mr. Sam Shannon, assistant deputy minister of Corporate Services; on my far right is Mr. John MacDonald, the assistant deputy minister of Education and Culture; and, not sitting with us right now but waiting in the witness room for his time to shine, is Mike Saturnino, the assistant deputy minister of Income Security and Advanced Education, who I will, with your permission, call upon at the appropriate time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Members, we will now turn to the main estimates document, and I will open the floor to general comments on this department, Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Are there any general comments on this department's budget? Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I guess just a general comment that might not be expected, but I will say, just for the record, that, compared to some of the other increases that budget saw, it was somewhat disappointing that the education department saw the lowest percent increase. I know that a lot of the increase was due to forced growth, but there was some addition of increases across departments, and it would have been nice to have seen that reflected instead in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, especially with our interest in increasing trades and increasing graduation rates across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister, would you like to respond?

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, and thank you to the Member for the comment. With such a large department, with such a large budget, an increase that would be a large percentage in another department might not show up as such a large increase here, but I appreciate the Member's support for education and advancing the priorities of the Assembly. Thank you, Madam Chair.

The Chair

The Chair Julie Green

Thank you, Minister. Any further general comments on ECE? Seeing none, we will now move into the detail. We will go back to the main page, and we will pick up at the first of the key activities, corporate management. Are there Members who would like to comment on corporate management key activity for ECE? Are there any comments on corporate management of ECE? Seeing none, I'm going to call the page. Education, Culture and Employment, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, 2020-2021 Main Estimates, total, $10,059,000. Does committee agree?

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.