Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the second time.

This bill amends the Education Act to:

establish a definition of bullying;

provide for the establishment, by regulation, of a Territorial School Code of Conduct;

require divisional education councils or district education authorities, as applicable, to ensure the development of safe schools plans.

Mr. Speaker, that is 2014-15 we have earmarked for the funding for a planning study. If there are any changes, we will definitely let the Member know in advance. Mahsi.

This particular school, Trout Lake, along with the Colville Lake school, has been brought to our attention on numerous occasions, even through a Rural and Remote Committee that I sit on, and also the Members. We are pushing that forward.

Part of the process of, again, education renewal will focus on the small community schools. We’re fully aware that some of the small, isolated communities are feeling left out when it comes to infrastructure. Those are some of the areas that we are currently discussing and engaging the community, the DECs, DEAs, and also meeting with Aboriginal leadership on...

As we indicated, there are various partners involved, the Housing Corporation, again, Human Resources, and our department, ECE, working hand in hand with the DEA and DECs. We need to get their feedback. That’s what we’re engaged on. Even through various venues such as educational renewal, ASA, we’ve heard over and over about the housing shortage, providing us with the solutions. This is an area that we want to deliver in house. Once it’s available, we’re going to deliver it to standing committee, potentially from the three or two of us as the Ministers responsible for those areas. When that...

There is a partnership approach and I’m working closely with the Housing Minister. They do have a strategy in place to deal with the shortage, whether it be housing for staff in the communities, especially the most isolated, non-market housing. They are in the process of developing multi-family rental properties in non-market housing in the communities, so focusing on where there’s a high demand. So there is already work in play. I’m really working closely with the Housing Corporation and also the Minister responsible for Human Resources because we need to capture all the proficiencies in the...

The uptake and successful completion of the Apprenticeship Program continues to increase every year, as highlighted earlier. The Labour Agreement is under review this year. That is a program that has been very successful. It is a federal legislative program and it’s coming to an end in 2014. We are focusing and monitoring that program and the overall review. Of course, the suggestions and ideas that are being generated in this House will be captured and will be considered as part of the review process. I will continue to work with the federal Minister responsible, Skills Development.

Also, I...

Mr. Speaker, part of the process is, of course, we have our ECE staff that deal with apprentices, and just to make them aware of their obligations within the program itself, being an apprentice. My staff is, of course, available any time if there is a challenge or a barrier in the way that the Member has alluded to earlier. Those are areas that my departmental staff are available to meet with certain individuals, especially those apprentices. We also have a regional representative, as well, that deals with the service centres in the regions. They are available to help and support these...

Mr. Speaker, elders play a vital role in integrating languages and culture into school programming, and provide valuable skills and knowledge to our children and youth.

I am happy to announce that, beginning in the coming 2013-14 school year, we will be launching the NWT Elders in Schools pilot program to strengthen and increase elder involvement in our schools. While there are currently a significant number of elders already involved in many of our schools, this program seeks to enhance and formalize elder involvement within our school system. This pilot program will run in all schools across...

Mr. Chair, regarding the student information system, there have been some changes to our current system. In order to be trained on a new educational system, we need to have that mechanism in place. We are tracking the students, as the Minister alluded to earlier, because everything is based on enrolment. We have to monitor the student progress, attendance and so forth. The conversion from one system to another does take time and that’s the reason why we had this training mechanism in place to convert to another system. That is what is before us today. It is continually improving that system...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Elders in Schools Handbook.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.