Alfred Moses

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just had one question in regard to the incident that happened in Inuvik this year. We had that windstorm that blew the roof off the airport. I was just wondering if the department allocated funds for the repair of that roof and whether or not there was a study into the structure of the building to see if there was any more damage that was done from that storm. Thank you.

I really applaud the department for trying to get residents off of income support and anyone that’s going through income support through their Productive Choices program. I just wanted to ask a question. Has this program ever been evaluated and have they ever seen the effectiveness of this program?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee defer further consideration of the activity education and culture under the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Main Estimates 2012-2013 on page 10-17 at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ve done a lot of work in my time in the communities within my governments. I’ve participated on the front line with a lot of community workers, teachers, parents, concerned Members, leaders in our communities. What it always comes down to is everybody sees it in their communities. The social issues that impact our community can be addressed by putting money and investing into our early childhood development. Like I said when I was talking earlier, I thought this government was working on this already. I had the assumption and confidence that our government was working...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. WHEREAS early childhood development is a priority of the 17th Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS the mandate letters issued by the Premier to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and to the Minister of Health and Social Services instruct them to work together to develop and implement a comprehensive Early Childhood Development Framework;

AND WHEREAS the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment has acknowledged that healthy childhoods are the best foundations to develop healthy, productive adults;

AND WHEREAS the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, June 1, 2012, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Ministers of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services work together to bring forward proposals for new and comprehensive early childhood development programming to begin in the current fiscal year, including a plan and funding to assist communities with securing suitable space for early childhood development programs;

And further, that the...

Does the Minister know how old the building is in terms of building years and when it does need to be replaced in terms of our policies within our government? Thank you.

I just want to make a quick comment on the Productive Choices program. I do understand that when clients come and get funding, that the two choices they could possibly do is get some counselling or go do upgrading. In some instances what I’ve been hearing is that anyone who’s going through income assistance will go get their counselling. It’s not an effective counselling. They’re going there to get, possibly, a document signed, and then they take it to the income support office to get their funding. So they’re using up space which is really needed, because we have mental health issues in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, just want to make the same comments as my colleagues here in regard to the income support. It’s very disturbing to hear that the large clientele is between the ages of 19 and 29. That’s very shocking and disappointing. Kind of contrary to Ms. Bisaro’s comments, the line item for income assistance is down from last year’s estimates by $60,000. Is the department looking at, due to our economic downturn, the increase in our general rate application, the lack of jobs in the communities? Does the department see more applications for income assistance, and if so, how...

Not at this time, Mr. Chairman. I think Mr. Bromley had some questions here.