Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Deh Cho.

You say "piloting." Is that for all schools throughout the territories? Mahsi.

Thank you. Deputy Minister.

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Deh Cho.

No, no further questions here. Mahsi.

Thank you. Are there any further questions? Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Madam Chair. Just a couple of questions. First is the language immersion programs. I imagine it falls under either Indigenous languages and education or minority language education and instruction; I'm not sure which one it falls under. We have 49 schools across the Northwest Territories. How many of those schools are delivering, currently, the language immersion program? Masi.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister.

Thank you. The Indigenous Language immersion program, I believe there are four schools offering it at the younger grades, up until perhaps grade 4 or so, in most cases. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Madam Chair. There has been an increase in the area of revitalization and language devolvement. What are the plans? Are we really going to stick to four, or are we going to increase these immersion programs into the communities that badly need it? Especially the outlying, remote communities. Masi.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you. I would love to see that happen. The way education is structured in the territory, the governing system, the delivery of programming is the responsibility of the education authorities, and so it's really up to the regions and the communities as to whether or not they want to offer that. Looking at the modernization of the Education Act, this is an area where there is an opportunity maybe to be more prescriptive, if we need to be, or if that's what the public wishes, but right now, it's not up to us. However, a lot of the work that we do at ECE in terms of revitalization is supporting new language speakers, and those are needed in order to teach the courses. I know, right now, it can be difficult sometimes to find Indigenous-language speakers who can teach certain programs, and so we support their efforts in that way. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Madam Chair. I'm glad the Minister recognizes that lack of qualified language-speaking teachers, and we should be doing more in that area. We've been talking about that for a number of years, now. We're still talking about that. Yes, there is the MAP program. There are other small initiatives on the go, but this is an area that we need to focus on. Obviously, the language immersion program, four in the communities, I'd like to see more. It's not the local district education authorities that are here before us; it's the Minister and his department. They are the ones who are accountable to us, and we need to promote more of these, so I just want to get that message out to the Minister's department.

Another area, Madam Chair, is pre-trades in the schools. When you talk about the career development, I'm on page 48, there has been a lot of discussion on those individual students who have taken on pre-trades in high school. When I was in high school, there were mechanic and welding and other trades sectors. In the schools, within the 49 schools, again similar to the first question, how many schools are delivering pre-trades in high school, which eventually amounts to four years of taking a program and almost the completion of journeyperson ticket holders? I'm just curious where we're at with that. Masi.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is all the information I have here. Part of the reason is because, although, as the Member pointed out, I am responsible for education in the territory and I hold myself responsible, the fact is that education is very decentralized. The education authorities have a lot of authority. They hold the information, as well, and so we have to go to them to get that information. It changes often, so it's not something we have at our fingertips. There are a number of things that we are doing. The SNAP program is one of them, where the student can earn credits and earn money and work toward accreditation. We also have additional programs where you can get credits for working in other fields. Perhaps I can ask the deputy minister to expand on this, because it is quite a large area and there's always a lot of interest in it, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Deputy Minister.

Thank you, Deputy Minister. Member for Monfwi.

Masi, Madam Chair. This particular area, obviously, we push our students to enter trades and get a journeyman ticket after three or four years; three years for welding. In the past 15, 20 years, we've been pushing for students to enter post-secondary so they can become lawyers and such professions, but now, there's even more push for trades. It is lacking in our communities. It is great to see 20 students; 20 students across the Northwest Territories, Madam Chair. We should see more of these students in these programs, in pre-trades, grade 10, grade 11, grade 12, taking these pre-trades program. Once they leave high school, they have one or two years to go. That is my wish. Madam Chair, if I can get the Minister to make a commitment to provide what we are currently delivering through district education on the pre-trades, how many students there are currently registered, and what is the plan going forward? Those are just some of the questions I have for the Minister. Masi.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you. Yes, we can provide that information.