Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Jeannie Marie-Jewell is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 1995, as MLA for Thebacha

Lost her last election, in 2011, with 22% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Committee Motion 73-12(7): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 25, Carried June 18th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We can certainly sit here and gloat about how much we've given to education but at the same time we've got to take into consideration the increase of our population and the number of schools we have created across the Northwest Territories. I know that the Legislative Assembly has been very supportive overall towards the Department of Education over the years. When the Minister indicated from 1983 until now the department's budget going from hundreds of thousands to millions, certainly they've shown some commitment over 12 years but there's been significant growth in population over 12 years.

At the same time, there's also been significant growth --and I'm sure he can look back --in his bureaucracy for delivering these types of programs. Back in 1983, there was probably no such thing as --and I could be corrected --special needs students and disabled students in the system. There were no special needs assistants in the schools. There was little support at that particular level because schools were just then taking into consideration disabled people.

I commend them for that but what I am saying is that in as much as inclusive schooling is in the act, we're indicating in this act that every student is entitled to have access to the education program in a regular instructional setting in a public school or public denomination school in the community in which the student resides. We're indicating that every student has the opportunity, but quality is the question. It's important to maintain that quality of education that we, as northerners, have been proud of. It appears that the lack of financial support certainly has been tighter because of fiscal restraints but, at the same time, has been making a very difficult for the divisional boards, regardless of the good planning they attempt to make with respect to the lack of funding they get from the department.

I look at the 2.5 per cent cut fight across the board on divisional boards and who's to say they don't get more disabled children; that they have an increased need for SNAs or any type of special needs program. What they've got isn't the additional support when you look at the 2.5 per cent that was cut from forced growth.

You can put everything in the act that you want but until you can indicate to the communities that you are going to uphold You know, I guess that's where your proof in the pudding comes from. We can go on and on and state that but what I'm saying from my constituency is that inclusive schooling is still a great concern with the diminishing amount of funding resources being eroded, and it is affecting the quality of education of our students. It's something that I'm sure no Legislative Assembly Member wants to see. Thank you.

Committee Motion 73-12(7): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 25, Carried June 18th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. A lot of comments came from my constituency with regard to the concept of inclusive schooling for children. Many support the concept, however, and have come to recognize fairly quickly the lack of resources and feel that inclusion without resources, without support, without teacher preparation time, without commitment, without vision statements, without proper staff development and without flexible curriculum just doesn't seem to work.

As we know, inclusive schooling is an obligation from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to accommodate children in the regular classrooms. There seems to be a fair amount of designation of children to these classrooms, and there seems to be, at times, a lot of pretence about what's happening with inclusion.

But there are, many times, wide differences in children's needs and the kinds of environments that can address these types of differences. I think inclusive schooling is good for some children, and some parents will probably greatly support it; however, at the same time, I think the opposite is also true.

I think that we must give the option to the parents and to the children because we have noticed that there has been a significant reduction of resources, we have noticed a significant reduction in even funding towards the school boards and it's making it very difficult for the school boards, and the Community education councils to address inclusive schooling. I think that if the Minister's department is sincere with respect to inclusive schooling, they have to make a concerted effort in giving the schools the resources they need to address inclusive schooling. I mean, you can all say everything really nice about inclusive schooling but if you don't give them the funding they need, inclusive schooling is just paying lip service to the residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chairman, I think, if inclusive schooling is going to work, particularly when you are looking at designating children with significant disabilities into regular classrooms in the name of inclusion, I don't believe it will work unless we put resources into these classrooms to support this type of child.

We have to ask ourselves, if we are going to allow inclusive schooling to work, whether or not the class sizes will decrease. We've noticed, over the years, that the class sizes have tremendously increased because of the fact that the funding has been so tight that resources are limited. Therefore, another way for the CECs and the school boards to address that is to increase class sizes even though the policy indicates different.

We have to ask ourselves, will our teachers be trained and prepared for inclusion with regard to addressing disabled children? Will parents be prepared to give the support that's needed? Will there be full-time trained special education assistants to assist students throughout the day, and will there be basic specialist support for classroom teachers? Would all the children be kept up with regard to their educational goals? Will they all be able to determine goals and will teachers be able to support them in attaining those goals?

Some of the questions that came to me with regard to this whole issue of inclusive schooling are, is the department attempting to address inclusive schooling in order to save funding and to provide regular classrooms with the support needed if this is to succeed? I think that's really critical. I think inclusive schooling can only be effective and successful if the schools are going to get the proper support services, and this has to come from the department. It's easy to say to the divisional boards address inclusive schooling, but if you don't give the proper resources, there would be very little meaning and substance to that particular portion of the act.

So I want to indicate to the Minister that there is a grave concern regarding inclusive schooling due to the fact that there is a lack of a resources, a lack of funding to address inclusive schooling. I recognize that the Minister looks at special needs and other areas, but it still fails to address the concerns expressed, particularly from the community of Fort Smith where many people are concerned that they ensure their children have a good education and are given proper resources.

So there are many questions that have to be asked, and I think there are many questions that have to be answered by the department to indicate the measurement of security or sincerity with respect to inclusive schooling in this particular area. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Committee Motion 73-12(7): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 25, Carried June 18th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just for the record, I wonder if the Minister can indicate the definition, for clarity purposes, with respect to inclusive schooling? Thank you.

Committee Motion 73-12(7): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 25, Carried June 18th, 1995

I don't have any questions about clause 6. I think clause 6 clarifies subsections (1) and (2), particularly subsection (2), which I was concerned about under clause 5.

Committee Motion 73-12(7): To Amend Clause 5 Of Bill 25, Carried June 18th, 1995

Mr. Chairman, I just need clarification Is it just clause 5.(1) that we voted on, or (1)(a), or does it include clause 5.(2)?

Written Question 37-12(7): Northern Pilots Employed By Buffalo Airways June 18th, 1995

My last question is for the Minister responsible for the forest fire management program. Would he provide to this House:

1. The number of northern pilots currently working for Buffalo Airways flying DC-4s and CL-215s?

2. What are the pilot qualifications for DC-4s and CL-215s?

3. Would the Minister provide a copy of the contract signed with Buffalo Airways for heavy land-base equipment and CL-215s?

Thank you.

Written Question 36-12(7): Government Standards For Fixed-wing Aircraft And Helicopter June 18th, 1995

Would the Minister responsible for the fire management program provide to this House the standards of Renewable Resources for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters?

Would the Minister also provide to this House the standards of Government Services for fixed-Wing aircraft and helicopters?

Written Question 35-12(7): Revenue Raised By The Government Of The Northwest Territories Fire Management Program Through The Mars Agreement June 18th, 1995

Thank you. Would the Minister responsible for the Department of Finance provide to this House the amount of revenue raised by the GNWT fire management program through the MARS agreement from the 1993 season and the 1994 season?

Written Question 34-12(7): Person Years To Combat Forest Fires June 18th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a written question for the Minister responsible for fire management. Would the Minister responsible for fire management provide to this House the person years used last year to attack fires in comparison to the current person years used this year to attack fires?

This would include seasonal PYs, casual PYs and indeterminate PYs.

Mr. Speaker, I have a few more, if I may proceed. Thank you.

Question 655-12(7): Participation Of Aboriginal Groups In Hiring Senior Regional GNWT Employees June 18th, 1995

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the Minister has encouraged this department to allow for participation from the community level because these positions do affect the community level and many times have a fairly great impact, would he consider requesting his department to develop some kind of policy to ensure that this direction is followed consistently? Thank you.