Alfred Moses

Yes, we do engage with other departments in terms of cultural awareness training, as well as the blanket exercise. Myself, I participated in the blanket exercise when I first got elected and was given the portfolio of Education, Culture and Employment. When I did it, we had other jurisdictions: Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Yukon. Nunavut participated in this as well, and we do encourage other departments and other leadership in the Northwest Territories who want to participate in this type of cultural awareness training. We would be more than happy to facilitate it as well, as we do have the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. About three years ago, the department started developing this conference called New to the North, and any teachers who are just beginning their career in teaching or come up from the south or outside the Northwest Territories, they go through a series of cultural awareness training and make sure that all our teachers that come from the south understand the legacy as well as the history of residential schools and the impact that it had on our communities or residents so our teachers that are going into these small communities are aware and well prepared for the...

We're still getting the enrolment rates for junior kindergarten students, so we don't have an exact number. What we did look at, though, was every family was going to be saving anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000 a year, and that's what we've got now, but we don't have the full enrolment rates of junior kindergarten at this time.

Yes, that is correct, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am well aware of the feasibility study that was tabled in the House in the last government. We can put a link to that Tabled Document on our website. Thank you.

Thank you. Part of the school has been complete; as well, we are still utilizing the community learning centre. We just recently met with the staff as I mentioned, DCNE Infrastructure at the DEA, and we are continuing to update the community moving forward. Thank you.

As Members know, we do have the Labour Market Information Report that talks about the needs that we have in the Northwest Territories. We are using that to adjust job creation as well as focusing on residents in the North so that they can get into the workforce. We will work with our departments to address those needs, and we will continue to support Aurora College and Aurora Research Institute. We are working on an overarching legislation that will allow other institutes to come up in the Northwest Territories and create some of those opportunities that the Member is referring to.

No, I just appreciate the comments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, we are going through a foundational review that is going to help identify some of the priorities and program services, which we are going to be working on with the Aurora College in regards to education here in the Northwest Territories, but we also have the Aurora Research Institute that hands out research licences every year. On average, it is about 200 licences that are given out. Recently the Aurora Research Institute just completed a new strategic plan, and it focuses on things like research priorities, partnership, knowledge, management...

I just appreciate the Member's comments. As a department, moving forward on these junior kindergarten upgrades and renovations is definitely in the best interest of having a safe school environment. Thank you.