Bob Bromley

Mr. Speaker, new responsibilities without new resources are a recipe for failure. The proposed review of JK should, therefore, focus on all of these aspects. Specifically, evaluation and subsequent planning should recognize the need for small group sizes, qualified and well-compensated early care and education personnel, development of warm and caring relationships, achievement of a language-rich environment, developmentally appropriate programs and safe physical settings. With this focus and all parties working together in true partnership, we can provide the best future for all children of...

Have there been any cases in the last year or two that the Minister is aware of where we have done this sort of thing, double filling positions?

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks for that response. I think that sums up my understanding in the area that I needed it.

The second thing I’d like to ask about is I note in the summary of the bill, if I can just quote that starting in the middle: “to permit employees identified for layoff to be placed in vacant positions without disrupting their continuous employment status.” I know the intent here of the Minister – and he must, I’m sure, be in line with that – is to make the appointments into vacant positions. That is what the summary of the bill says. But in fact it does not say that in the...

No.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Premier for that. The addition of a school year to the existing staff who are not trained in the specialty of early care and education is unfair to both teachers and young children.

Will the Premier commit to ensuring a plan and implementation to develop a team of dedicated early care and education personnel with the specialized skills required to properly deliver the early childhood programs they need? Mahsi.

Thanks to the Premier. I have become aware of several complaints from teachers and parents regarding areas of concern, as have other Members: one teacher in a classroom with 23 pre-Grade 1 students, tension between existing programs, lack of appropriate supervision for four-year-olds, and some of these are actually three-year-olds until Christmas. These are happening now and these concerns have been brought to the attention of headquarters in ECE; however, the response has been to pass the issue on to the local school, yet this is a territorial program. JK is a territorial program delivered...

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge several Weledeh constituents who received Medals of Bravery from the Governor General of Canada on October 21st of this year.

On September 22, 2011, my constituents Kent David Bissell, Matthew Lewin Grogono, Mike Joseph Murphy and Allan Randal Shortt played a vital role in the evacuation of several passengers from a Twin Otter that tragically crashed in the Old Town, here in Yellowknife, claiming two lives.

Despite heavy smoke coming from the engine, leaking fuel and the risk of explosion, these brave citizens managed to bring several survivors to safety...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate ECE’s plan to slow down the revised rollout of the Junior Kindergarten program. This will give all of the stakeholders, education authorities, early childhood workers, families and other early childhood care providers a chance to take stock, learn from experience and adjust the program as needed going forward.

Examples of areas needing adjustment that I hear include one-teacher classrooms overburdened by 11 four-year-olds and 12 five-year-olds, tension between existing local programs and ECE’s, lack of appropriate supervision for four-year-olds, loss of...

Just a comment. I think we have covered this to a good degree. Obviously, I don’t think we’ve come up with a response, but I would just note that highways, this division is accounting for 44 percent of our infrastructure budget. That’s probably almost the definition of putting all our eggs in one basket and I don’t think it’s a wise use of our resources.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker, and thanks for that offer from the Premier. I assume he would be willing to present that in writing. I’m sure that committee would respond positively to that, had we received that.

Given that the Premier has told us that other governments would be open to observers if they also had the opportunity to have observers, would the Premier go back to them and take them up on that offer and push for observer status for elected representatives of any of the governments participating in the Intergovernmental Council? Mahsi.