Debates of March 3rd, 2020

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.

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Promoting Importance of Oral Health

Trades Apprenticeships

Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Policy on Rent Scales

Whati Housing Plan

Affirmative Action Policy

Health System Navigator

Regulatory Change to Improve Preventative Oral Health

Implementation and Promotion of Environmental Rights Act

Indigenous Languages Promotion and Revitalization

Ms. Green's Reply

Trades Apprenticeships

Rent Scale Policy Review

Anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) Legislation

Process Convention

Affirmative Action Policy

Promoting Indigenous Official Languages

Oral Health Report

Arnica Inn Transitional Housing Project

Review of Rent Scale Policy on Income Verification

Full-time Psychologist for Children and Youth for Treatment Centre

Written Question 6-19(2): Educational Facilities

Tabled Document 47-19(2): "Our Ever Awesome NWT Brushing Song!" Book by Richard Van Camp and Neiva Mateus

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Justice - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice

Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Education, Culture and Employment - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, carried

Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Orders Of The Day

Committee Motion 3-19(2): Tabled Document 30-19(2): Main Estimates 2020-2021 - Justice - Deferral of Further Consideration of the Estimates for the Department of Justice, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 450

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Page 450

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Have the Department of Education and the Department of Health and Social Services sat down together and looked at the cost in regard to medical travel for these types of services, for students who are travelling outside of their home community to places like Yellowknife or to places like Edmonton to receive these types of services, to see if the cost can be offset by costs we're already putting out for medical travel? Thank you.

Page 450

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister.

Page 450

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. No, we haven't done that work. This is particularly a team to support the principals, teachers, program support teachers. It's an interesting thought, and we can look into it, but we haven't done that to date. Thank you.

Page 450

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Page 450

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I'm going to move up to the line item for fees and payments. The line item for fees and payments has changed significantly over the years, in a positive direction. It's gone from $2.475 to $4.19 million. I'm wondering if the Minister can elaborate a little bit on that line item. Thank you.

Page 450

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Page 451

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. I'm guessing we bought something big. If you give me a moment, I might be able to find out what that was. What that is, is a reallocation of funds from fees and payments to contract services, and those contract services are used to pay for the itinerant team, which is child and youth counsellors who travel to different communities. Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Page 451

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much for that, Mr. Chair. I'm going to keep moving up the page, here, in the interest of time. My next question is in regard to inclusive schooling. Any of the educators I've spoken with across the Northwest Territories, or even within our school boards here in Yellowknife, have said that the need for funds for inclusive schooling is probably their greatest funding need, and I see that the line items are fairly status quo here for the inclusive schooling line. I'm wondering, given that our need for inclusive schooling continues to go up, and the supports required for students in the Northwest Territories continue to go up, how does the Department of Education, Culture and Employment feel that they will be able to meet the needs of students across the Northwest Territories with a status quo budget? Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Page 451

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. We have a line that says "inclusive schooling," but that doesn't mean that all of our efforts related to inclusive schooling are contained in that line item. We talked about the child and youth care counsellors; we talked about the territorial support team; what we're doing with education renewal and innovation. All of that is related to this idea of inclusive schooling. As well, the mandate talks about renewing the Education Act, doing work to review inclusive schooling and address some of the issues that have emerged over the years. Virtually everything we do in education in the JK to 12 system is to address inclusive schooling, because it's not just a thing; it's a way that we operate and it's a way of educating. Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Page 451

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I notice, on this page, there are the NWTTA Professional Improvement dollars, as well. I am wondering if we will expect to see a review of the STIP days come out of the Department of education this year. Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Page 451

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. STIP, yes. The review that was legislated is scheduled to be complete by the end of the calendar year. It's always an ongoing process of determining how this is working. I mean, each calendar year, or each school year, schools have to fit this into their schedule, and so we've been learning every year. Part of the education renewal and innovation report that just came out was a review of STIP, as well, so we've had that review after a few years, and we're going to have a final review at the end of this calendar year. Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Page 451

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that response. My next question is in regard to early learning and childcare. One of the priorities of the 19^th Legislative Assembly was affordable childcare, accessible and affordable childcare, and I notice that the budget for early learning and childcare has come down a little bit. I'm just wondering if the Minister would speak to that, please. Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Page 451

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. That is due to a sunset of the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement with the Government of Canada. Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Minister. Member for Kam Lake.

Page 451

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. My last question, and I'll let someone else talk here for a bit: does the Department of Education, Culture and Employment do exit interviews with its teachers? Thank you.

Page 451

The Chair Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Page 451

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you. The department doesn't really employ teachers; the teachers are employed by the education councils and education authorities, but we do teacher surveys. Perhaps for more detail I can go to Mr. MacDonald.

Page 451

The Chair Julie Green

Mr. MacDonald?

Debates of March 3rd, 2020

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