I thank the Premier for his response. I guess I was asking the question, though, in the context of this First Ministers’ meeting in Vancouver that he is going down to. I am wondering if he has any specific asks or requests that he is going to be making at that meeting, and if he could share those with the House.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, the Premier made a statement about a First Ministers’ meeting that is happening in Vancouver. This is an important meeting that he is going to. It's the first time in six years that the First Ministers have actually gotten together, and I'm sure I can say on behalf of all the MLAs that we're really glad that he is going and it's an important meeting. I'm wondering if he can tell the House, though, how he will be guided by the recently amended and adopted the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 2016-2019. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mothers-to-be across the Northwest Territories want to have their babies with the assistance of well-trained midwives who are supported by a comprehensive, stable, and well-funded midwifery program in all of the regional centres across the Northwest Territories. For the sake of our young families, I hope the Minister will confirm real progress and certainty on moving forward with midwifery in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I too had the pleasure of greeting some of the midwifery representatives over the noon hour. It was early in the last Assembly when after much advocacy, work began on establishing a strong regional and capital city midwifery program. There were demonstrations, petitions, letter writing, and other campaigns. A commitment was made to expand the Fort Smith program to Hay River, the Beaufort-Delta, Behchoko, and Yellowknife. A start was made and we have since seen progress in Hay River and Fort Smith. In July 2015, the Minister said that the next goal was to move forward with the territorial model based out of Yellowknife in 2015-16 so that the full rollout could be done in 2016-17. The Minister stated in July 2015 that he was still committed to introducing midwifery services based in Yellowknife, and would expand the program into the regions starting with the Deh Cho region and Behchoko. The Beaufort-Delta has since reconsidered this approach, I am told, but that still leaves Yellowknife, the Deh Cho, and Behchoko.

In Yellowknife, I am informed that we now have a midwife coordinator position, but the coordinator has no midwives to coordinate. Progress to date has been poor. Delivery on commitments that the advocates fought so hard for is still lacking. I would like to point out that, quite apart from establishing a model for obstetrical care preferred and asked for by many mothers and families, this just makes plain fiscal sense, as my colleague just mentioned. The government laments the sorry state of its finances, yet we still have a delivery program for birthing that is not as cost-effective as it might be. Once rolled out regionally, this approach offers major savings in patient transportation and accommodation costs, and the establishment of midwifery services rejuvenates the cultural traditions of community birthing by expert mothers and matriarchs. Midwifery advocates who fought so hard for these commitments by government are understandably disappointed by the failure to deliver on promises, as we saw outside the Assembly earlier today. Mothers-to-be across the Northwest Territories want to have their babies with the assistance of well-trained midwives. Mr. Speaker, I would like to seek consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mahsi, and I want to thank the Minister again for his answer. Earlier today, though, I just spoke about how there are other post-secondary institutions here in the Northwest Territories, including Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning and College nordique francophone. Can the Minister tell this House whether he's prepared to enable these other institutions, Dechinta and College nordique in particular, to grant degrees, and when does he believe such authority will be in place? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer and we all understand that the Education Act allows for the granting of post-secondary education degrees, but can the Minister tell us which institutions in the Northwest Territories have such authority and for what types of degrees?

I appreciate the answer from the Minister. We have a number of post-secondary institutions in the Northwest Territories, including Aurora College, Dechinta Centre for Research and Learning and the College nordique francophone. What role does the Minister see for each of these post-secondary institutions in the future?

[English translation not provided] Earlier today, we had an interesting public presentation from Dechinta today at the Standing Committee on Social Development. Then last week, as an Assembly, we adopted the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2016-2019. One point in that document states that we should be refocusing support for post-secondary institutions in the Northwest Territories. Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell this House what is meant by “refocusing support for post-secondary institutions in the Northwest Territories?”

Merci

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided] I too would like to recognize Josee Clermont. She is the [English translation not provided].