Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated last time, if this was as easy as cutting a cheque we wouldn't be here. This issue would be dealt with. The fact is we have an education system that is built on equality, not on -- not about being equitable; it's about being equal, so. And if I pay for busing in Hay River, I'd have to pay for busing in Fort Smith, and Yellowknife, in Inuvik, in Simpson. It doesn't matter if the communities need or not; we have to give them the money. I am working towards an equitable system where money goes where it's needed but currently, we have an equal system. So that being said, I don't have a cheque. However, clearly, people want the Minister to be accountable. You know, it might not be how our legislation is set up, but that's what people want. So I'm seeing what else I can do. I'm working with the department who has reached out to the superintendent of the district education council to try and ensure that we do get students bused to school so they can actually show up in school and learn. I assume that, you know, at the upcoming DEC meeting that the superintendent will have done this work on ways to possibly make this happen and bring forward some, you know, reasonable and cost effective solutions for the education council to mull over and hopefully approve. But failing that, I'm also going to offer the services of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to the Hay River DEA to help them perhaps look at the books again and figure out if there's a way to move things around, although I know that is not a palatable option. There's a reason we're in this position, and it's because, you know, they've done that over and over again, year after year after year, and just don't see what other program they should cut in order to -- in order to have busing. So short answer, no. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
R.J. Simpson on Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service
In the Legislative Assembly on June 4th, 2021. See this statement in context.
Oral Question 768-19(2): Hay River School Bus Service
Oral Questions
June 4th, 2021
Page 2880
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