Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, at this point, you know, these are early days, but do I have dreams? I most definitely do. And I've had the opportunity to travel to our immigration FTP meetings in Montreal just recently with deputy minister Fulford, and in those meetings had the opportunity to speak to things like settlement services and credentialing here in the territory, which are things that we hear quite a bit about, and especially credentialing just recently in the House here. So in addition to working with federal counterparts, working with -- or provincial counterparts outside of the NWT, I've had the opportunity to create some relationships with some of my own counterparts in other parts of the country and how we might be able to support the needs of the territory within their provinces, but I've also had the opportunity to connect with some of my Cabinet colleagues as well on some of the needs because this will definitely pull in a lot of different departments to be able to ensure that we're creating systems that support people to come and make the NWT home as part of the nominee program. Thank you.
Debates of June 5th, 2024
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This is from the 20th Assembly, 1st 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 know.
Topics
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
The Chair Richard Edjericon
Thank you. Is there any further questions from the Member for Great Slave? Don't see none. Is there any further Members that want to question information item on page 55 to 57?
I'm going to go to the Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
George Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In Inuvik at the Aurora College facility, they have these trailers, trades trailers I think they're called. They've been sitting there for a number of years without moving to any of the communities, outlying communities. I know in my community of Fort McPherson, they've been expressing interest in seeing if they can bring these trailers to the communities and get some of our local people trained in some trade or another. Is it covered in here on page 55 or 56 somewhere? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the trades trailers are owned by Aurora College and so would fall under their operations. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
The Chair Richard Edjericon
Thank you. Any more questions from Members on information item on pages 55 to 57? I'm going to go to the Member from Yellowknife North.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So can the Minister explain why under apprenticeship and occupational certification, there is a decrease from last year's amounts? Is that that last year's amounts weren't fully expended? Or what's the rationale there? Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that reduction is a decrease due to reductions in the trades and occupation wage subsidy program. And so that would be dollars that are historically unspent that we have removed from the budget. In addition to that, there's also some savings in there from the apprenticeship trade and occupational certification committee pivoting to virtual meetings as well. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. So the trades and occupations wage subsidy I'm reading here, that provides financial assistance to employers to hire Northerners with little or no work experience and support that individual to progress through apprenticeship. If we're not getting this program fully subscribed, it seems like there should be a big need for this kind of thing. Does the Minister believe that there is more we can do to, you know, try to recruit employers, try to promote this program more, or are we going about it the wrong way? It seems likes this is one of the key goals to achieve our priorities. So does the Minister have any insights on if not this program what we could do instead to get more people, you know, training as apprentices to move forward with trades and other occupations? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'd like to start, and then I'd like to pass it to the assistant deputy minister, Mr. Saturnino. But, for starters, absolutely there's more that can be done as far as employers learning about the wage subsidies. And I think that especially when it comes to achieving our goal of increasing SNAP apprentices across the territory especially outside of Yellowknife, the more work that can be done in order to find those employers and make sure that they know that they are eligible for wage subsidies, I am a firm believer that us as MLAs have a role to play in communication as well and in making sure that we are pointing people in the right direction. But through yourself, Mr. Chair, I would like to pass to Mr. Saturnino.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Mike Saturnino
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I suppose what I would point to is the apprenticeship trade and occupation certification program has had a strategy in place for five years, from 2017 to 2022. The purpose of that strategy was very much to try and grow the program, improve the supports, improve the communications in marketing for the program as well. We've seen some successes from the original strategy and are currently working on an extension for that strategy. And we anticipate that we will have a new action plan that hopefully will be released in the fall. We recently went out for engagement. We work very closely -- apprenticeship is an industry driven system. Partners -- employers are the critical partner, ensuring that they have journeypersons. And so if there's an employer out there that is at all interested and willing to take on apprentices, we are working with them and we're trying to grow the program. And one thing I would note here is this is where a program like the Schools North Apprenticeship Program becomes very critical in trying to get more young people into the trades. And we've seen amazing growth in that program from, you know, one student in 2017 to 40 plus students to the present day. So some significant growth in that program, which gives us positive signs for program growth over time. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Shauna Morgan Yellowknife North
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I look forward to seeing the new strategy or the extension and the new action plan and making sure -- well, from our side, trying to hold the government to account that we make real progress on this. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Kieron Testart Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister explain why we are reducing the small community employment support funding? Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, 3 million of those dollars were focused on small communities, and 1 million of those dollars were focused on regional centres. And so the change in that reduction would signal a desire to kind of change the policy work behind that funding to ensure that funding is directed at communities with the highest unemployment rates. Thank you.
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Committee Motion 12-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates, Deferral of Education - Education, Culture and Employment, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 5th
Kieron Testart Range Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Does the Minister not think that putting the full amount, the $4 million, into small communities and into those places with the lowest employment rates, would be more beneficial than just cutting it out altogether? Thank you.