Thank you. I will go to the Member for Yellowknife Centre.

Just to be clear, so the Minister's saying it's okay, from her perspective, that a teacher would pull up online and say well, the news reads today X, Y, Z, and, you know, I think this is, you know, a perspective, let's talk about it, which is fine. I think current affairs is important even if you agree or disagree. And then coaching students how to file formal complaints in this class of young people. And so the Minister's thinking that that's okay? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, that was not my words. I literally said it is not the role of teachers to indoctrinate children. I also, though, did say that I think it is very good and very important if our kids are learning about politics in the classroom and they are learning about critical thinking and they are learning to stand up for themselves. I think that a teacher needs to be fair in how they do that, but I would be more than happy to share any of my other perspectives about parenting with the Member after we're done this today. Thank you.

Thank you. I'll go to the Member for Yellowknife Centre.

No, I'm not interested in your parenting -- I have two of my own, and I'm not here to tell you how to manage your kids and I would prefer we don't do that.

So, Madam Chair, the issue is, then -- I think the Minister may have her finger on the issue which is the indoctrination of perspectives and keeping things fair. So what oversight, policy, direction, can be provided to the school boards that can help trickle down through the education system to ensure that they're receiving a balance of perspectives? And sometimes we're going to hear things you don't want to hear, sometimes you're going to hear things you want to hear. And that's okay in the growing minds of people to hear and learn about different perspectives, and I think that's a fantastic -- the principle really comes down to as not being pressured or coached in any way, and I would think that that would be up to the individual and, of course, them being young people, hopefully they'll have good communication with the parents, if that's possible. I can't speak that it is. So the indoctrine issue is exactly the issue I have, ensuring that young minds aren't pressured, and I'm asking how that is communicated to school boards, authorities, etcetera, to ensure that we have the fair and balance opportunity without feeling any shame or pressure. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. So, Madam Chair, the Education Act was amended in 2013 to include a definition of bullying, establish safe school regulations, which include the territorial school code of conduct and a requirement that education bodies ensure the development of safe school plans. It is worth adding in here that in 2022-2023 school year, a safe and caring school subcommittee was established under the authority of the deputy minister of education, culture and employment, and ECE meets with representatives from education bodies annually to discuss implementation of the safe school regulations. If there is an incident in a school that a parent is uncomfortable with, I certainly encourage them to speak with their student and the teacher. I have found that most teachers are -- well, every teacher I have come across is more than happy to have conversations. If a parent finds that there is an instance that where something can't be resolved with the teacher, I do recommend then that they approach the principal. Certainly, if it needs to be escalated beyond that, bringing it to the superintendent is the next course of action there. And, of course, all school boards do have the ability to implement policies within their own school boards underneath these requirements here as well. And so certainly encourage parents to not shy away from following up on stuff like this. And while I do, for example, and have said here that I get excited about the opportunity for our students to find their own voices and our youth to find their own voices -- we heard about that on the floor of the House today during Members' statements where Members and Ministers were able to join youth and hear their voices, and I think that is incredibly important. But certainly, we want to ensure that those interactions are respectful and that at the end of the day that students are given the opportunity and empowered to make their own decisions at the end of the day. Thank you.

Thank you. Next, I will go to the Member from Monfwi.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I know that in many of the small communities, we have a lot of good support staff, we have a lot of good teachers, we have a lot of good schools. I don't want to discredit by saying that, you know, because our education is no good or, you know, like I heard that quite a few times, but we know that a lot of work is being done by the school staff. I've seen it myself by the support staff. They're making every effort for the student to succeed, to focus on the outcome. But there is a problem. There's one -- well, there's a lot of problems but, you know, one of the problem is that we know there's a lot of social issues in small communities with drugs, alcohol. You know, there's all kinds of issues. So we do have a problem where the -- in the absentees, it's -- I mean, we've seen the numbers too, the data that's in there and even in the Tlicho region where 84 percent in 2023, you know, 84 percent. It was also presented at our Tlicho government or annual meeting.

So a lot of them went back to the parents, and especially the young parents who are not sending their kids to school. So I even had some -- I talked to some of the young parents too, you know, myself, why. It's not the school. It's not the teachers. You know, it's us why, you know, because we know that the teachers, they're not going to be there forever. The school is there at the moment. But it's that not sending their kids to school. And I know that we got away from the -- one of the productive choice, it will be nice if we can focus on -- especially for family that are on income support, focus on the young family that are not sending their kids to school that are on income support. How can we check to see family that are on income support sending their kids to school? Is there any way or where in the legislation or in this education that one of the productive choices that, you know, in order for a family -- but it's -- I don't know if it's one of the things that you would want to do. But find a way that we can send the kids to school, you know, or they can send their children to school and not be living -- not be at home when the school is out because it's happening a lot in many of the small communities. Even in my region I see that, you know, like, young children should not be at home but nobody is doing anything. So I know there's a lot of blame on the school or the teachers. That's what they're saying, you know, but I don't -- you know, like, I have a little grandson that goes to school, you know, so I -- I mean, that's our job -- or not our job, but that's the parent's job but we're helping the parents, you know, so there's a lot of grandparents that are doing the same thing. But what can we do to help these young parents to start sending their kids to school? And I know that in my region, the family preservation program, they're making an effort. You know, I see them working really hard, really well with the young family.

Not to punish them through the income support. But there's got to be something in there where -- because they are our future generations. We need them to be educated because many of the people are reaching the retirement age and somebody has to take over 20, 30 years from now, and that's, you know -- it's like we got to do something. We can't wait another 10 years, 20 years. Something has to be done now for the students to succeed and start focusing on the outcome, the education outcome. So do you have any plan -- is there a plan that education is doing -- that we are not aware of, but is there a plan in place where we can start focusing on fixing the absentees of our young children? Is ECE working with the parents to focus on improving the attendance rate? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. I'll go to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I -- absenteeism of our students across the Northwest Territories is a huge issue and has a direct and significant impact on the education outcomes of NWT children in every single community, in small communities, in regional centres, and in Yellowknife. It is one of the strongest ways that we can support our students to succeed is by making sure that they're in school. And it is remarkable -- and I don't have the data with me but I'd be happy to show the Member -- that when a student misses, you know, even a couple of days here and there, it very quickly adds up to an entire school year, and it's very easy for those days to get away from us. And so this is certainly something that I hear about from one end of the territory to the other. I hear about it with Indigenous governments. I hear about it with parents. I hear about it with community members. I've even had an elder come and tell me about they can remember a time where, you know, elders would be sitting in front of the post office yelling at kids that weren't in class and saying get to school or get a job, but you're not on the streets, off you go. And so I really want to thank the Member for bringing this up because this is incredibly important.

There are communities and community governments that are definitely working on this one. For example, even local community leadership and the community as well working with the school board to advocate jointly for ensuring that at a local level that there is family awareness and that they are encouraging kids to go to school, encouraging families to get their kids to school.

There are also communities in the NWT who -- small communities in the NWT are saying, okay, what do our kids want? They want bikes. Let's support them with bikes and get them in the classroom, and if they go to class they get a bike. So there are different communities that are really focusing on different ways that they can support this because the Member is absolutely right, it is everybody from principals, superintendents, teachers, parents, community members, and kids themselves. Even encouraging a student that is missing in the desk next to them has a huge impact. I think that sometimes we just need to know that we're noticed when we're not around, and whether you're an adult or a child, that you matter in the classroom. I went from even Yellowknife to a school -- want me to stop talking? Okay, sorry.

Thank you. I will go back to the Member for Monfwi.

Yes, thank you. Thank you, I know you got carried away. It is okay. But you being a parent, and I know you probably seen it all and, you know, us too as well in small communities.

I know that we all want our young people to do well in life. We want them to succeed in life. We want them to start working. We don't want them living on the system or, you know, like, income support to be dependent. We want them to be independent. That's what we all want for our young people because they are our future generations. And another one too is that SFA.

I know lately I've been hearing lots of parents, especially in larger regional centre, you know, a lot of them are saying, you know, their child is already in a university. Some of them, I know they've been saying that, you know, their child is completing their first year, second year, but I haven't heard too many of those from small communities. So I just -- I want to ask the Minister if -- this is regarding student finance program. So if a student does not come back --

Sorry, Member, noting the clock I am going to rise and report progress.

Thank you to the Minister, and your witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses from the chamber. Thank you.

---SHORT RECESS

Report of Committee of the Whole. Member from the Deh Cho.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 275-20(1) and would like to report progress. And Mr. Speaker, I move that the Report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Member from Deh Cho. Can I have a seconder? Somebody from Great Slave. All those in favour? Opposed? Abstentions? Motion passed.

---Carried

Orders of the day, Mr. Clerk.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, February 26th, 2025, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 8:05 p.m.