Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. First of all I would just like to congratulate all those graduates, over 141 graduates between the three campuses. That’s a huge accomplishment for those individuals and I’d just like to applaud them for that.

The programs that have been distributed through the three campuses are based on the needs of the communities and through the venue of the Aurora College Board of Governors. As you know, the Board of Governors is meeting in the next two weeks, I believe in Inuvik, and those are the opportune times to ask those questions or give ideas and suggestions on various programs...

Mr. Speaker, I can definitely commit to meeting with the leadership. There has been discussion and also conducting a regular system of all facilities in the Northwest Territories. Deline will be part of that process along with my colleagues from Public Works and Services. We work diligently together on those educational infrastructure facilities and will continue to work with DEAs and DECs because they are the primary contacts. They give us excellent feedback on which capital we should be focusing on. We will be meeting with them and also the leadership that is here with us. We will continue...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This project, along with others, will certainly be a part of the capital planning project. There are upgrades that will be happening within the ?ehtseo Ayha School in Deline. Those are just some of the upgrades that we are working towards. Then the long-term plans will be part of the capital project for the particular school along with other schools.

I will continue to commit to working with the DEA and DECs to make that happen, and also the leadership of Deline.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Return to Written Question 21-17(4), I wish to table the following document, entitled “Re-profiled Funding Early Childhood Development Actual Expenditures 2012-2013.”

Further to my Return to Written Question 24-17(4), I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Income Assistance Distinct Cases and Expenditures” and “Income Assistance Appeals.”

Lastly, further to my Return to Written Question 25-17(4), I wish to table the following document, entitled “Single Parent Families Receiving Income Assistance, 2012-2013.” Mahsi.

I would see this as an opportunity as opposed to a competition with the college. The college is on board and they want to do as much as they can, even beyond what they currently deliver at the college campuses, whether it be Inuvik, Yellowknife or Fort Smith and now the Sahtu region. At the same time, I would encourage the Member to voice, as well, with the industry.

We understand that there is upwards of $700 million going into the region and how industries can take part in that, whether it is the centre or training programming. It will be based on industry standards as well. They have done...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Sahtu region training centre has been a topic of discussion for a few meetings we have been to. We have regional training representatives, as well, to identify the training needs of the Sahtu region. We also have the college involved in the process of our discussion. Just recently I also delivered the interesting, high-profile Sahtu when it comes to training, how the college can get involved so it can be a training centre for the Sahtu region. Those are the discussions we are currently having, and I will inform the Member as we move forward on a progression plan. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, May 31, 2013, I will move that Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time.

Mahsi. That’s the very thing we’re doing right now with the committee representatives. I do believe there are industry representatives. I can double-check on that. Those are discussions we are currently having with the leadership in the Sahtu region. I’ll provide the Member with the latest update on our discussions and we’ll continue to drive that with industry because they need to be on board. The whole economic boom that is happening, they need to be part of that as we are. So we’ll continue to push that forward. Mahsi.

This is the very reason why we need to reach out to the community representatives, so they can provide us feedback on what is required at the regional level. Part of the discussion involved the local leadership as well. The chiefs made remarks on Trades on Wheels, mobile trades training similar to Beaufort-Delta. How can we integrate that into our discussion for the Sahtu region? So we are talking about partnerships. That’s what it comes down to.

There have been various partnerships driven by the community of Inuvik and also surrounding communities in the Beaufort-Delta. So we’re going to be...

Yes, we do have, even with our client service officers throughout the Northwest Territories and even as far as the directors, we have the professionalism, we have dedicated, educated individuals in the system. At the same time, there is always room for improvement on the programming areas and we have to work with that as well. I’m glad the Member is raising that profile. That is part of the process as we discuss the action plan.