Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Education Act to replace the definition "ratepayer."

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the Honourable Diane Finley notified the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada that she was unwilling to meet with a group of Ministers and asked if one Minister would be delegated to speak on all of our behalves. I transmitted my approval for that position to the chair of the CMEC. However, the majority of Ministers from across Canada did not support that; therefore, the meeting did not take place.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Archives Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have told this House, I am already doing that. I am already working with other Ministers, and not just with Education Ministers. At the last FPT that I attended, all of the Ministers there took occasion with the Minister who was present to express our concern about the cuts to the literacy file in hopes that it would be passed on to Minister Finley. We are working, not just as Ministers of Education, but generally, federal, provincial and territorial Ministers across Canada are working with our Premiers to make sure that the federal government is aware that we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members of this House are aware, as I said earlier, I have written to Minister Finley to protest the cuts. The Premier has written to the Prime Minister to talk about the cuts, particularly the literacy and Status of Women cuts. I have another trip planned to Ottawa later this fall. I have my office working to see if I can add to that trip a meeting with Minister Finley to discuss this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, in 2005, Alberta announced the creation of the Alberta Centennial Scholarship Program, which created 325 annual scholarships across Canada, valued at $2,005 each starting in the 2006-07 school year.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that 25 scholarships have been made available for distribution in the Northwest Territories for individuals pursuing post-secondary education. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment will award these scholarships to students pursuing training in the area of skilled trades and occupations. We will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Ministers of Education for Canada are continuing to work together to see if we can find some way to raise the profile of this issue. Yes, it is my intention to continue to seek a face-to-face meeting with Minister Finley to press the case. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Arts Strategy did talk about a need for us to consider an awards program for the arts. I think that it would make good sense for us to consider something like an awards evening or an event to draw some attention to those awards programs. This was reinforced when, in September, ITI and ECE had a consultation group take another look at the Arts Strategy and give us recommendations. They reiterated that we needed to take a look at doing something like that. I will certainly talk to my colleague with ITI to see whether or not we can move forward with such a program...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Governance Council has agreed that they are going to examine the policy. They are going to change it if it needs to be changed. They are quite prepared to move on looking at that. That commitment has been made. I have made it publicly. The issue is one that they have said they are going to move on. I will talk again to the chair of the Governance Council and make sure that they look at it very quickly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.