Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement earlier, on a poverty eradication plan. I appreciate the Premier’s remarks earlier, in efforts to take the next steps there. Recognizing that there is overlap, once again, between ECE and the Department of Health and Social Services, I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment some questions, really, on the opportunities we’ve got and what we’re doing to coordinate the approach to fighting poverty.

The first question I’m wondering about is what is assessed during a client’s interview for income...

Well good grief, Mr. Chair, we don’t need bureaucracy like this. Yeah, I could match the number of people on groups and agencies and so on the Minister listed that are working on this and beside which Health and Social Services, according to the departmental document publicly available, NWT nutrition and nutrition related programs and initiatives, the lead for NWT Nutrition Strategy is Health and Social Services. So, Mr. Chair, we want to see direct programs to support nutritious foods in a new and improved way and actually not even that, we just want to put good foods into the mouths of babes...

Thank you, Mr. Daniels. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my thoughts today on why combating poverty requires a strategy for coordinated action across all government departments. The face of poverty tends to be seen as a crowd of statistics and social indicators, percentages and rates. We deal with the aspect of poverty through some very good and necessary programs, but unless all these programs are locked together in a united approach, the chances of success are poor.

Poverty happens on a person or family at a time. Let’s consider an example of the challenges out there. Take the case of a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment move in a timely manner to develop and introduce an Aurora College diploma program for sustainable community administration and renewable energy technology. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I did have a couple of questions here. As I alluded to in my general comments, recognizing the cost of living and the need for community-based expertise to address things like cost of living but also some of our environmental priorities, the need for local economic development, the need for technological and administrative expertise in our communities, I’m wondering if the department has finally responded to the Standing Committee on Social Program’s persistent recommendation that Aurora College programs be developed for sustainable community administrators and renewable...

Thank you, Mr. Daniels. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Committee, I’d like to take a brief second and recognize a member of the Order of Canada, Arlene Hache, and also a resident of Weledeh.

Thank you. Committee, we’re on page 10-20, activity summary, Education, Culture and Employment, education and culture, grants and contributions, continued, total contributions, $159.867 million. Total grants and contributions, $159.919 million. Agreed?

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I think it was 2.9 percent, but Minister Lafferty.