Alfred Moses

We are going to be releasing a labour market information report next month. It’s going to give guidance and direction in where we need to go. We are also looking at programs within the Aurora College system to address some of these issues based on what that report says, but also, our Skills 4 Success Framework and some of the other work that we are doing with the regional centres. I think in the next little while, as we get our mandates from this government moving forward, we will know which direction we are going to have to move forward in, hopefully, and look at increasing our employment...

Yes, we are working with, as I mentioned earlier, the regional training partnerships committees. The department has also created five new positions for Employment Transition Officers that work within the communities to help people transition from unemployment to employment opportunities. That is in some of the regional centres throughout the Northwest Territories, and we also have career development officers that we are trying to get more involved into the schools while they are working with Income Assistance clients.

The government is committed. We are a partner on the regional training committees that have a wide range of partners and key stakeholders that work with other GNWT departments, the Aurora College, divisional education committees, Aboriginal governments, business development corporations. So yes, we are committed because we do sit on these regional training partnerships, and almost every region in the Northwest Territories does have these regional training partnership committees, and we are still committed to working with them to address some of the issues that the Member has brought up.

As leaders for the Northwest Territories, leaders in our communities, and Members who make decisions for people throughout the Northwest Territories, you heard earlier of some of the social implications that we see in our small communities. I would be more than happy to work with Members to have all Members participate in this residential school training.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Along with my colleagues, I'd like to recognize Mandee McDonald and Erin Freeland Ballantyne, who do some very good work with Dechinta University. Welcome to the House.

It is unfortunate that the daycare centre did close in 2012. We do recognize that early childhood development is very important throughout the Northwest Territories, hence the Right From the Start Action Plan that we're developing, but I will commit that the department will work with the new administration to look at the possibility of opening the daycare again in Norman Wells.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is funding, I believe, the Norman Wells Land Corporation, and they're providing programs in Norman Wells. We have had proposals from day homes. However, none of the day homes have met the standards that we can supply funding for. But the Norman Wells Land Corporation is getting funding and we are open and consulting with the community to try to open up the daycare in Norman Wells again and provided them with the options for funding, for rent, mortgage, food, all those types of expenses. We'd like to continue to work with the community and the residents of...

The department is happy to release this report so that all residents of the Northwest Territories can see where our actions are and what our priorities are. That report will be released next month. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the department has a lot of programs in place to ensure that our graduates that leave high school do get into the workforce. The main one that we do have is we do have a 10-year strategic framework called the Skills 4 Success. We are looking at developing a concrete action plan to address those that will help improve employment success for NWT residents, and also close that skills gap for our employers and our residents that are looking for work, and help adjust some of those individuals from ages 18 to 24 that are not in the workforce, they're just out of school...

Yes, the department is committed to working with the Hay River DEA and the Commission scolaire. We did have a meeting earlier this year with the Commission scolaire, as well as we sent letters out to their staff. We will be sending letters out, as well, to the families that have sent letters to the department, and we do have a meeting set up with the Hay River DEA in the near future to discuss some of these concerns that are brought up from the community of Hay River.