Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the people I was talking about who are secure...There are more than 1,300 clients of the NWT Housing Corporation right now who are not on income support. So they're, obviously, in a fairly stable situation. They have salaries and in a situation where their subsidy doesn't change that much from month to month. In terms of back-up plans, just as we do now with people who need income support, we'll have to make sure that there are alternatives in communities to make sure that the service is delivered, just as we need to make sure that people have money to buy...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will endeavour to look at whether or not I can move things around in my schedule to accomplish that. I do have some other travel plans, but if it’s possible I would be happy to join the Member on that occasion.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had not planned on travelling to Ulukhaktok…

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to say that we would follow up on that recommendation. We already provide schools with some direction for emergency response in a whole range of situations. It is my intention to share that with Members of this Assembly, so you can see how we are doing that currently. We are looking at expanding it to include specific references to anaphylaxis and how to deal with those instances. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The ALCIP program is a college program right now. It’s not administered by schools. The schools purchase the delivery of the program from the college, so they pay for the delivery. But the program itself is already a college program. What we’re talking about, though, is increasing the requirements of the program to a full two-year diploma-type course that would, we hope, then be offered as a base-funded program by the college.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the present time, this program is not funded as a base program, but is offered in partnership with the DECs across the Northwest Territories, so that they are paying for the delivery of the course when it’s delivered in the regions. There has been some discussion about the need to consider whether or not this should be one of the base programs, particularly when in the revised curriculum it becomes a two-year program. We are considering that, but have not in this budget included the funds for the college to offer that as a base-funded program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We already consider this to be an important program. It is being used now to ensure that aboriginal language and culture instructors in the school are moved into the UNW funding or salary brackets already. So it is being used to ensure that our staff get the recognition that they should for their qualifications for teaching these important subjects.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, we are taking a look at whether or not it would be useful to offer this program as a base-funded program through the college. We will have to work with the college after the curriculum is completed. As things stand right now, it is not a two-year program, but the new curriculum should turn it into a two-year program. Once that’s done, we can discuss with the college what it would take to ensure that this could be a base-funded program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize some of my constituents who are here today with the UNW: Wendy Carpenter, Allison Barr, and Barb Wyness.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. I would like to recognize some people in the gallery today, too. David Clark, the president of the WCB is here; constituent Barb Wyness who is often with us during our sessions; and a former constituent and friend, Jennifer Babiuk. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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