Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Chair, all I can say at this point is that two pilot projects have been a success. We gave the contribution and they have expended the contribution. Future programming, we’re still talking about that with the two departments, so if we move that along, we will definitely be sharing that information with the Members. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The school formula funding is the prior year September 30th student enrolment, and use prior year salaries adjusted for current year. Based on the Collective Agreement, there’s an increase. There’s also an adjustment to the cost difference due to freight, travel, cost of living and the program costs. I believe Mr. Moses alluded to that on the cost of living. Also, the block funded, some of the discussions, it’s within the funding formula that’s highlighted.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. The funding that we contribute to the school boards and also to the language centres, based on that, the programming and also the resources that are required. What the Member is alluding to is very specific to that riding and I can gather that information as to the status. I don’t have that detail of information at this point, if that individual has been hired to deal with the language itself, but we are investing tremendously in the language centre and I just indicated that we are providing additional funding to Aboriginal governments to deal with those matters at hand...

Mr. Chair, those are just some of the discussions that we need to have with various researchers out there, programs that have been successful, as Members indicated one of the programs on Aboriginal language, so we need to compile that information. At the same time, we are working very closely with the Aboriginal governments. As indicated in my Minister’s statement, we are re-profiling funding back to the communities, back to the Aboriginal governments because they are the experts when it comes to Aboriginal language, and we are there to assist them and to support them and work closely with...

As I stated, this will be a discussion that we need to have with the school boards. Obviously, we want the surplus funds to go to our children in the Northwest Territories, the education programming. It’s very preliminary at this time, but the discussion will be happening with the school boards.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. As it stands now, I can only speak to how we’re contributing to the school boards. I do have a list of just over $146 million to the school boards and the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Education Council is top on the line. We give more money based on the enrollment and also the cost factor as well, as the Member alluded to, the high cost of living in the communities.

My deputy alluded earlier that we’ll be re-evaluating the funding formula to the schools. So this is an area that could change as we develop the discussion paper on whether we’re going to be changing the formula...

Mr. Chair, the discussions that we’ve been having, there’s been some changes to the direction and whatnot and talking to various organizations and the departments as well. We are committing upwards of $500,000 as part of the 2015-16 budget as we move forward for a planning study. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. In order to achieve the 29 communities by the 2014-15 school year on junior kindergarten, it will cost us approximately $2.8 million on an annual basis. The Member is referring to the qualification. We’ve highlighted already the types of training that will be required and training that we’re going to be delivering to these individuals and also the operators. More specifically, when it comes to junior kindergarten, we have to work with the kindergarten teachers as well. We’re understanding of and share the Member’s concerns, and we’re going to be developing an action plan...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I do reflect on the Member asking that particular question. I don’t have the information here, the latest status, but I can provide that as soon as possible.

We provide detailed information to the Member. He alluded to the 81 students. We should be proud of those students advancing their education whether it’s through Aurora College or adult learning centres in communities. Obviously, we want them to succeed even further, whether it is trades accessing programming or whatever. The Member asked what happens for them in Grade 12. Obviously, we want to have supporting mechanisms in place for them through the high school programming or even the college. We are currently working very closely with the college, as well, to provide those supports. Even...