Thank you very much. I just wanted to also mention the importance of supporting our children and youth in schools. I was really pleased to read the increase of the enrolment of our schools from 1998-99 to 2003-04. There is a significant increase in our schools, and the department must be doing something right or something that the communities and our schools are doing right together to get our students to that level of enrolment. It shows that the students, teachers, and the communities are doing something right that got our kids into school. The numbers are up and we need to continue to support our children as they go through to high school, college, and post-secondary programs. We are looking for them to receive some good educational training and come back to our communities and be very productive especially when it comes down to something like the Mackenzie gas pipeline and other initiatives that may happen in our communities. Again, I will hammer back onto the point where it is going to have all of this training, but for our students to know that hopefully there will be some strong cultural initiatives. We know who we are, but we also need to know and practice our culture, and it has to be supported by this government. That is why I said, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Minister has...(inaudible)...Department of Education, Culture and Employment, it is a huge department, and that for our people our culture is who we are in our livelihood. So I want to see through the main estimates. I will look at some of these initiatives that the department is going to be taking on throughout the life of this government, and I want to just keep my comments to that, Mr. Chair. I know my time is running our and I want to respect other Members. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When you break down this Department of Education, Culture and Employment, we have some extremely important issues in regard to education in the Sahtu; very strong in the cultural component of this department and the potential for employment within the region of the Sahtu, and also down the whole Mackenzie Valley. Mr. Minister, your department and staff have a huge responsibility with regard to the Northwest Territories. There are some good people on your staff. I have worked with them before and they work hard. I know in my dealings with them in the issues of residential school especially, that some of the good people there in your department helped us out a lot there.

In saying all of this, Mr. Chairman, the one issue that has come forward is there might have been rumours about the language nest program, and you have confirmed them today. Mr. Chairman, I want to talk about the importance of this, because I had several letters and phone calls from my constituents in the Sahtu region who wanted to have a really good understanding about why this program is being cut and what can this department do in terms of reprofiling or looking at ways that they could continue to support it, because the concerns I have are that this program is worthwhile. A lot of Members have talked about it and even the Minister has commented on looking at this worthwhile project. The language nest programs that we have in the region provides an opportunity for our young people to connect with our elders. That is a very culturally significant point of education in that our young children are going to one day, hopefully, through good training and good leadership, be sitting in our seats.

A lot of our guidance has come from our elders in the Sahtu region, and a lot of our survival depends on our elders. However, today it has changed because of the different lifestyles, yet we still look to our elders for guidance in how we live our life today. In this short time that we have with these young people that we in our communities are exposed to the aboriginal language to our people, and we do it through storytelling, drumming, something that they are very proud to be associated with in terms of our culture.

So, Mr. Chairman, I want to ask the Minister and his Cabinet also there is funding that is there but it is for the Literacy Council, they have their own mandate, they have their own views, and that $251,000 is not very much in terms of some of the aspirations and initiatives that the regions want to do or the communities want to do, especially in small communities where the language nest program has been very successful in terms of what I am hearing, and the concerns from the communities that somehow this language nest program could be looked at again by the Minister and his Cabinet to see if there is any way that they can look at saving the program. Mr. Chairman, I just wanted to make those comments because it is important, and I want to hear from the Minister. I may have one more question after this, depending on how much time I have left.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would also like to let the committee know we are going to do this through teamwork, and my honourable colleague from Nunakput, Calvin Pokiak, will conclude the report.

The committee met on February 23rd, 2004, with the Minister and his officials to consider the 2003-2004 draft main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

The committee notes an estimated $213.705 million for operations expenses, an increase of $2.685 million over last year's numbers and a total of $13.430 million for capital infrastructure for 2004-2005.

Yellowknife Aurora College Campus

The committee is concerned with rising costs and diminishing adequacy of the current Aurora College facilities in Yellowknife. During the review of the draft main estimates the committee noted $145,000 forced growth due to increased lease costs for the Northern United Place, NUP, Aurora College Yellowknife Campus. The Minister clarified that the total increase to lease costs for this year are actually closer to $329,000. Members note the total lease costs for the Northern United Place campus are now $1.529 million. This does not include lease costs for off-campus facilities.

The committee is concerned costs are escalating for a facility known to have substantial shortcomings for college program delivery. The building has reached capacity and classroom space is already being rented off-campus. In addition, the NUP campus has no dedicated parking, insufficient student housing and the campus design provides limited opportunities for student interaction outside of the classroom setting. The Yellowknife Campus is the only Aurora College campus struggling to deliver programming in a facility that was not purpose built. The standing committee indicated a strong need to begin to look at options to address these problems.

During the review, the department commented that the NUP lease will expire in 2007 and they have begun to consider options. Committee Members were pleased to hear that the Minister had initiated a cost-benefit analysis of staying in the current location versus new construction. The committee supports a cost-benefit analysis and looks forward to seeing the results, possibly during the next business planning cycle.

Student Housing At Aurora College

The committee is concerned with the lack of vision that the department demonstrated for student housing at Aurora College campuses. Inadequate student housing is a problem for all three campuses and committee Members stress the need for a comprehensive plan to deal with the issue.

During the review the Minister explained that the decision had not yet been made whether to use the $2.272 million total capital allocation for the Green Apartments and the

$2.314 million total capital allocation for the Brown Apartments in Fort Smith for a retrofit of the existing apartments or for construction of a completely new structure. The committee questioned if the plan to retrofit the Fort Smith apartments would be cost efficient. They noted that $446,000 had been allocated for work to begin as early as 2004-2005. Given the vagueness of the department's plans, the committee was concerned that the start date for this project was too soon and recommended careful analysis prior to action.

The Minister assured committee Members of further consultation on this issue prior to the commencement of any work. The committee is receptive to this approach.

Over the last few years, Aurora College has implemented a number of excellent programs geared at students from across the Northwest Territories. Many have relocated to attend. Unfortunately, the department's student housing initiatives have not been keeping pace with the growth of programs. As a result, housing needs for out-of- town students, particularly in Yellowknife and Inuvik, are not currently being met.

During the review of the NWT Housing Corporation draft main estimates the standing committee noted that a considerable number of out-of-town students were occupying social housing. Approximately 90 Aurora College students are currently occupying social housing and another 18 are on the waiting list. The concern is that student use has increased pressure on a program whose mandate is not to meet the needs of out-of-town students.

Student housing was an unresolved issue from the last Assembly and the committee sees no indication that Aurora College and the department are any closer to developing a comprehensive plan. Committee Members expressed considerable apprehension for what it sees as an ad hoc response to a crucial issue that warrants a carefully thought out strategy.

As the department and Aurora College had not yet finalized how they were going to deal with the issue, the committee got a commitment to be informed of further details as they unfold. The committee is giving the department the benefit of the doubt and has approved the $446,000 because they do need the planning money to advance the project.

Residential School Survivors And Secondary Victims

The committee would like to see a proactive position from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment on the issue of residential school survivors and secondary victims. The committee stresses the need to actively look into possible funding opportunities from the federal government for the GNWT and to support individuals and organizations in accessing the available funding.

Committee members would like to see the department's efforts go beyond restitution to victims as directed by the Courts. Committee members would like to see the department look for additional opportunities for involvement in assisting residents in accessing federal programs and dollars. The devastating impacts that the residential school system has had on families, language, culture and heritage are well known. Members of the committee hope that the department will keep this issue in mind and that it will be reflected in department goals and program delivery.

Rationalization Of Income Security

The committee is pleased to offer support for Education, Culture and Employment's plans to rationalize income security programs. Committee members commented that excessive "stove piping" and compartmentalization of the various components of income security result in unnecessary frustration among clients. The committee feels that a more integrated case-management style delivery model would increase the quality of service to clients. The need for life management skills counselling to be integrated into income security program delivery was emphasized.

During the review the Minister provided a brief historic overview of the decision made in 1994 to separate what was viewed as strictly clerical income support functions from the counselling aspects of the social services program. The rationale was that this would free up more time for social workers to provide counselling services. Unfortunately the counselling mandate appears to have fallen through the cracks. Income support recipients in need of life-skills counselling are not always receiving the services they require.

The committee favours a broad-based approach to the review of income security programs and emphasizes the need for cooperation among all government departments involved in income security and social services program delivery. The standing committee also advocates increased training of income support workers to better identify the needs of clients so as to better assist clients to help themselves. The committee looks forward to a full briefing on income support programs and a discussion paper on options for the rationalization of income security by June.

The Minister proposed substantial committee involvement during the examination of income security programs. The committee is receptive to this approach.

Bachelor Of Education Degree Program

The members of the standing committee are disappointed to note that the four-year Bachelor of Education degree program in the Northwest Territories will not go ahead as planned. Aurora College had anticipated beginning delivery of the fourth and final year of a Bachelor of Education degree at the Fort Smith campus starting in September of 2004.

The committee understands that current fiscal constraints have brought the Bachelor of Education degree as well as a number of other deserving programs to a standstill. However, committee members are very supportive of the program and hope to see its implementation sometime in the near future.

Programs geared to training NWT residents to meet the NWT's needs for professionals in areas such as teaching and health care have been proven successful. The Bachelor of Education degree program is a key component of the strategy for teacher recruitment and retention in NWT communities.

Madam Chair, at this time I would like to ask the Member for Nunakput, Calvin Pokiak, to continue with the report.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I will also recognize the clock, and I have one final question for the Minister of Finance. I appreciate that, in light of the good news of the budget from the federal government and the recent discussions that Senator Nick Sibbeston had on naming of the Northwest Territories, the resources that the federal government takes out of the Northwest Territories I really think we should call ourselves Robin Hood, because the federal government keeps robbing us. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question with regard to sharing of the dollars in the Northwest Territories and what type of necessary steps you will take. There are lots of interested groups that are also going to look at these dollars that the federal Finance Minister announced yesterday. So I would like to ask what steps have you looked at in terms of sharing resources with other governments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance regarding his statement to the House this afternoon. I don't know if Santa Claus is at the North Pole or in Ottawa in terms of the goodies and the good news that he has given to the Northwest Territories in the response from the federal Member of Parliament. In terms of the Minister's statement, I believe that the budget will contribute positively to the overall situation in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister if he could explain in plain language his belief on how this budget will contribute to the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge the volunteers of the Sahtu region. It has been brought to my attention that the community of Fort Good Hope in the Sahtu region will be hosting a volunteer awards dinner tomorrow at noon. Mr. Speaker, these volunteers will be recognized for their efforts in the search and rescue of the fatal plane crash last year that took the lives of some precious people that we dearly loved and are missed by our people.

Mr. Speaker, there are many volunteers who make huge contributions to our communities. With the region pulling together to help one another, this shows that as northern people we are unstoppable when we pull together for a common cause.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that approximately 25 individuals in the Sahtu region will be recognized, and I would like to personally say thank you very much to all these individuals for making a difference in the Sahtu. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a motion here. I move that this committee recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories places the issue of the federal government failing to meet their health care responsibility to aboriginal residents of the Northwest Territories on the agenda for the northern leaders meeting, with a view to arriving at a consensus on a joint plan of action to recovery of this debt.

---Applause

Yes, thank you. I'll see what I can do within one minute and 30 seconds. The hard reality is also that there's the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline coming through the Northwest Territories. Surely the government and the development organizations can look at this worthwhile project in our communities. The hard reality is that this program is going to be sunsetted by the federal government, and the communities have done a lot of good work and our kids are getting into a lot of the issues that we're dealing with right now: tobacco, obesity, diabetes, STDs. Young mothers are having babies and even children are having children. That's the hard reality in our communities. I just want to voice my strong support and passion for this type of program and see somehow if within the life of this government that we could continue something like this. Is there any way of profiling that they could keep a program like this going for the young mothers in our communities? Mothers are getting younger and younger every year. That's all I wanted to say, Mr. Chair.

It's a crying shame, Mr. Minister. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.