Frederick Blake Jr.

I would like to ask the Minister, when will they start encouraging our youth to join the force, whether it be through special constable that was practiced in the early 1900s. It seems they’ve done away with that here today. This is a great opportunity. I recall even in the mid-1990s many… I believe even you were a special constable, Mr. Speaker, at one point. We need to start encouraging this practice once again. Will the Minister ensure that that happens? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement on policing in Tsiigehtchic, we had a strong presence of RCMP in Tsiigehtchic in the early 1900s, yet here we are today, 2015, with a core presence in the community. We’re going backwards, Mr. Speaker. We should have a detachment in the community at this time. We had one in the early 1900s, as I mentioned, 1920, in Tsiigehtchic. We had special constables in every community, Fort McPherson, Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic, the list goes on. Yet today there’s not one special constable in any of those communities. More needs to be done in this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the department should contact this student and apologize for the situation he’s been put through. We have to do a better job of encouraging our students to stay in school and we have to find ways to accommodate them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

What department programs currently exist to help students, especially in our small communities, to transition into post-secondary education and skills training?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement, I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. We must find out why this student had already moved to Inuvik before the college advised him he was not eligible for the Access Program of his choice. This is one of our future leaders.

Will the department work with the college to review its administration and advising procedures? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, October 8, 2015, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that pursuant to Section 15 of the Official Languages Act of the Northwest Territories, that Ms. Shannon Gullberg of Yellowknife be appointed as Languages Commissioner for a term of four years;

And further, that the appointment be effective immediately.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

How does the department reach out to prospective students, especially in our small communities, Mr. Speaker?

The access programs are designed to help students transition into college programs, but these won’t work if students can’t access and use these programs.

What mechanisms are in place to help students transition into and through these access programs?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Education is so important. We need to encourage students to graduate and go on to college and university. That is the message we give our Grade 12 graduates when we speak at their high school ceremonies.

It’s a huge transition for our young adults to make the big decision to leave home to further their education and to step up in life. They are continuing to grow and shape their future. We give them advice, we wish them well and we encourage them to do their very best, and at the same time, they are afraid. They are scared and feel alone.

One of my constituents went to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is clearly the government’s property here. We’re putting a lot of burden on the community that have those funds designated for other projects. They have done all the work to the drainage that is needed. This property is Public Works’ property and I feel that these funds should come from this government, from Public Works, because that is their building.