Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. I want to just highlight some of the work that has been earmarked as a scope of work is to look at the washroom fixtures, repairing and painting drywall and different work that has been highlighted. Yes, I’ve already indicated that I’ll be visiting the Member’s riding. There’s an invitation out, so in June, by all means, we’ll be visiting. Mahsi.

Mahsi. That is the capital planning process that we need to discuss with the school board and also with the community and my department. Also, with Public Works and Services as we move forward. The capital planning process, there is a protocol that we have to follow and criteria that’s laid out before us, part of the legislation. So, definitely, those are discussions that we need to have, along with other capital projects. Mahsi.

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I would just like to recognize Rose Lamouelle, who is here with us as well, one of the greatest court workers.

---Laughter

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission 2011 Annual Report. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

As I have stated, those are the areas that we are currently exploring with the president, college staff and the Board of Governors. Like the Member, I do not want to see those parents going elsewhere, but here in the Northwest Territories to get educated. We will do what we can to deliver those programs.

Right now we have a diploma program. Obviously, third and fourth year are down in southern institutions with our partners. We will see what we can do to deliver that effectively and immediately in the Northwest Territories. The fall may not be an appropriate time, but definitely that is our...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. When we first heard of and also received information from the students, we passed it on to the college immediately because the programming falls on the college campuses. We encouraged them that they need to explore those areas, how we can best deliver this programming. It is not only business, there is also social work that grants a degree program that the students have asked me, I believe it was two or three years ago here in this building. From there, we have been working on that as well.

Those are just some of the areas that I need to work closely with the college and to...

A really good question. This is an area that we are undertaking right now. Part of the criteria, the six pillars that we are discussing are small community schools. That would capture that and also the accountability when it comes to funding. Those are the discussions that we are engaging in. We’re hoping by this fall we’re going to have a product to release to this House and also the general public about what we heard and we want to move forward on. So I‘m glad the Member is raising the profile, because it is part of the discussions as we move forward. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. On an annual basis, it’s all based on student enrolment, the formula funding we’ve had in place for quite some time now and we follow that process. The funding goes directly to the school boards and at their discretion, such as how many staff they want to hire, programming in the schools and so forth. So we work closely with the schools at that level. At the end of the day, we provide funding to them based on formula funding of the student enrolment. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Since the flooding, there’s been some work in play and we understand that the school was used for the community as well. We have to utilize the school for the students. So we’ll do what we can to have the facility in the best shape we possibly can for the community. Those are the discussions that we need to have for the capital planning process. If we need to identify funding, then we’ll be putting that forward as part of the process of capital planning and then the decision will be made, pending that time. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This is an area that we are closely monitoring, especially with the small community schools. I did instruct my department to seriously look at those communities, whether it be a log structure and the space capacity and having a one class setting with three or four different grades. So those are areas that we are looking into right now to see what can be done. If there’s going to be some changes, then it would be through the capital planning process the following year. So that’s the area that we continue to push. Every year we go through the capital planning process, so that...