Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, I guess to get to the point of my statement, why are some of ECE's targets on this item so vague? There are items that are very specific, like the 10 percent one I listed in my statement. But, for example, our post-secondary education goal is simply to maintain or grow. It doesn't say how much, it doesn't say when. Can we get a commitment from the Minister for these items in the growing and enhancing our northern workforce goals in the business plans that we will get achievable, measurable goals, attached to those items in the business plans. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member certainly has my commitment to treat this living document just as such, a living document that continues to grow and continues to get better every year. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on my Member's statement, I did mention in there that I know the Minister's aware that childcare providers are required to complete the essentials course in order to be a childcare provider either in a day home or in a centre.

Mr. Speaker, oftentimes, you know, providers may have English as a second language or may require some assistance. Does the department provide assistance, or what assistance does the department provide to the individuals who are taking these courses? Thank you.

Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment can certainly provide supports to people who need it. The example the Member used, for example, where people have English as a second language, the supports afforded are certainly determined on a case-by-case basis, and people who require supports can email [email protected]. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And yeah, I would hope that that support is offered through the department to ensure that these providers can get the help they need to get these courses as quickly as possible and including the certification process.

Mr. Speaker, and the Minister mentioned the $3.5 million that was added to the budget last year for the wage subsidy. Can the Minister confirm that that funding will again -- once again be continued through the funding this fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So when we did receive that funding within education, culture and employment, it was indicated that it would need to be a go-forward funding, not just a one-off funding. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that. That is, indeed, excellent news.

I guess I would ask if the Minister can commit to giving us a kind of a costed plan on how the department intends to reach the 300 spaces by 2026 that was intended when the agreement was signed with the federal government. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not going to be one size fits all for what that looks like across the territory. The 300 spaces are certainly clear across the Northwest Territories. For example, we are repurposing modular classrooms into ELCC spaces. We are looking at, you know, how I can work with some of my colleagues on some of their infrastructure builds in order to use minimal funds to pull some spaces out of there. Some of them, of course, will of course end up being day homes, and so in people's homes. And so it's not a matter of 300 daycare spaces in this type of facility. We are really looking at the whole gambit of how we get to these 300 spaces and support the needs of Northerners as far as childcare. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Infrastructure.

Very similarly to the Minister of Health and Social Services just earlier, will the Minister please work with her colleague at ECE to make sure that folks with expiring work visas can have an extension on their driver's licenses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe at least one, if not two or three, such requests have already come in, and we certainly will do our best to make sure we're coordinating with all colleagues here for folks -- to the best of our ability that there's not a delay or that there's an ability to be a bit flexible where feasible. Thank you.

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, at my fingertips right here, I couldn't share with the Member the history on when that was increased. But I do believe that there was work done on this in the 19th Assembly. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we often talk about not getting enough tradespeople into the program of -- into the system. Often I hear from employers who are tradespeople saying they can't afford to hire a tradesperson. It's not the subsidy program that's the problem. It's actually the bridge to the solution. In other words, they can't make enough money on the first and second year of the trades -- the apprentice and hence, you know, they don't want to take someone on because they're struggling in the management.

Mr. Speaker, is there a way to revisit this particular initiative to take some analysis as to our return on investment. In other words, if we bump the subsidy up, do we think we get more trades apprentices into the program and meet the needs of Northerners? Does the Minister -- could the Minister see an opportunity of doing some type of evaluation like that? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly see the value of trades across the Northwest Territories and want to ensure that we're always looking at more ways to attract people within this field. That's why we also have the SNAP program where we also support wage subsidies for high school students to get involved. And so I have not been contacted by employers who are feeling that this is particularly the area where they're struggling. There are certainly other ideas that have been afforded to me, and I invite all opportunities to chat with anybody about our trades opportunities. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess to my question again, would the Minister be willing to take on some type of evaluation to see if we can get more tradespeople -- sorry, more apprentices into the trades by adjusting or meeting further needs of the employers who end up spending a lot of money and time and energy that they can't get as a return by constantly mentoring. And that's the key to the program, obviously, but it's a financial loss for them for the first two years to get ahead. So I'm asking can she -- would she commit to reviewing this and doing some analysis to see if we can get a better return and more people in the trades and in the communities and the North at large? Thank you.