Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. The Member is quite correct; there is a deadline we have to meet. I believe it’s March 24. Those are the court dates that we have to follow through with. Part of the plan will be to meet with both Hay River MLAs. I was hoping sometime next week to give them the status of what’s happening and what will be the next step, so I will be briefing both Members.

Mr. Speaker, Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, the engagement we had was very successful. This is embarking on that, we are strengthening that, enhancing that through education renewal renovation. It’s not me that’s delaying the whole tactic, it’s the engagement.

I am a firm believer in engaging people, engaging the public, the communities, to share their perspectives, the grassroots people, and to share their perspective and putting it in the action plan. Upon that time, I will be delivering that to the standing committee once it is delivered in my office. Possibly, we have given a...

Mahsi. The Member is correct about the $28 million. That’s, overall, the target that we are working with between Hay River and Yellowknife. Again, we are compiling the financial background on how much we’ve expended on this particular school swap and then also the court appeals and so forth. So, I can assure the Member that they will receive that information. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, we want to hear feedback from the general public of the Northwest Territories, especially the grassroots people, the educators, the parents, the grandparents, so we have developed a committee to establish an engagement process. Part of that will be listening to those individuals who are in the system, as well, and the community members.

Once we share that, the feedback, we’re hoping by May-June session we are going to have some information, but prior to that, I believe I did make a commitment in this House, I want to share that with the standing committee. It will...

When I said no later than the end of 2013-14, I want to bring this back to session in the spring session, the May and June Legislative Assembly. That is my overall target and goals and objectives to deliver that. I have to get back to the Member on who has been hired as a contractor to deliver this review of inclusive schooling as part of the education renewal.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the whole inclusive schooling is part of the ERI that we are moving forward and developing an action plan. We are currently in the process of reviewing the inclusive schooling directive and funding consultation, of course, engaging the education authorities. The review will be completed no later than the end of this year, 2013-14, because we want it to be part of the action plan as we move forward.

So, as I indicated, the education boards and the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association will be part of the working group. We wanted to involve those individuals and...

Again, I will have to reflect back on the office of the Auditor General. As you know, they are here this week as part of the review process for Health and Social Services, as we did last year. It’s a very comprehensive review that they’re going through and we must follow the guidelines and they strictly highlight the reporting mechanism, not only that but the monthly reporting mechanism, how we should be working with the clientele. So, all the documents are in place.

Those are just some of the guidelines we have to follow, the regulations that are before us and through the legislation that has...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Within the income support division, we treat everybody equally and respectfully and there is a reporting mechanism that is in place. We have to work closely with the office of the Auditor General that did the overall, intensive and comprehensive review of our income support division. Based on the feedback that we received from the office of the Auditor General, there’s a guideline we have to follow. The regulations have been established. The reporting mechanism is a key front of the discussion that we have with clientele. They have to report, whether it be income...

Once the information is available to me, then I will be more than willing to share that with the standing committee.

What I said is it is under review. As part of the whole inclusive schooling, it will be part of the education renewal. That’s what I was referring to. Inclusive schooling is currently under review. By 2013-14, the end of this year, we want to have the product at hand. We are, as a department, going through the review process, again, working with the school boards and the superintendents, the NWTTA, through their program support teachers, engaging them and providing recommendations. Those recommendations will be brought forward to my attention and I will be sharing that with the standing...