Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I believe there is a common understanding that all of these specified items have been integrated into our discussion with the ASA, Early Childhood Development Framework and even a couple weeks ago we had the agencies that came out to talk specifically on ages zero to three with more emphasis on that. So those are areas that we’ll continue to integrate into our programming, whether it be Early Childhood Development Framework or ASA, Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, because that also captures early childhood development within that as well. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to advise this House that a ceremony was held today to celebrate the tremendous contributions that people across the territory have made to education.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment allows the Education Hall of Fame to recognize that we all play an important role supporting the education of our children. It reflects the valuable contributions that educators, volunteers, board members, administrators and other community members make.

Mr. Speaker, for this year’s celebration, nominations poured in from every region and seven people were chosen...

Madam Chair, this is an area that I do believe the school boards are somewhat flexible to offer those programming. I know for a fact that I can speak specifically for TCSA. I usually go to their school because they are in my constituency, teaching them in the school and they can feel the beat of the drum during lunch hour and hand games demonstrations, so they are doing what they can to promote more of that in the schools. The school board has their own ways of dealing with these different programming. This will be shared with all of the school boards so they are aware of what we are...

When we talk about some areas that we could identify some funds so we can improve let’s say the child and family centres, if we can allocate the funding then we identify those from the different pots of funds.

Within Education, Culture and Employment, the almost $300 million budget, as you can see there is so many different pots that we can access from. There are areas that may not be exhausted all at once and then we can certainly access those areas of funding. So those are some of the discussions that we’ve been having within my department, because I told my department that this is important...

The quickest answer is yes. The K to 3 Dene language curriculum, there is a program that has been worked on for the teacher recommendation guide as a guide for them. The K to 3 small territorial pilot is on the way since February of 2012, after a pilot in-service with the teachers and Dene language specialists. It is in the works. We will continue to update the Members on this progress. Mahsi.

We are monitoring ATIP requests on a weekly basis. The ATIP, there is a guideline and criteria that’s in place. We are following through on that. That is my understanding from my department on dealing with those requests that are coming in. Mahsi.

Those are the types of discussions that we do have at the board chair level. The Safe Schools Policy of YK District No. 1, we can certainly utilize the policy that they currently have instead of reinventing the wheel.

What’s before us, if we can enhance that policy for other school systems then, by all means, we will definitely pursue that and have our discussions with my department and the YK No. 1 as well.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular subject is very important to our school system and especially with the school boards across the Northwest Territories. We did address that with the school boards and they’re fully aware of it. There are, as the Member indicated, potential partners that are involved, RCMP, NGOs, and also parents getting involved in this. There’s also a question of an anti-bullying policy into the schools. Those are the areas that we are consistently working on, and I’m glad the Member raised that issue because this is an area that is broad to cover all schools so we are doing...

Again, it is a case-by-case basis. Some cases are very unique. It will take some time. But it is a standard rule of up to five days.

This particular issue does come to the Cabinet table. We do have a standard rule that any information or concerns that are brought forward by Regular Members are responded to within five days. It all varies on if there are organizations that we have to reach out to to get more clarification. It will take some time in some areas, but our overall goal and objective is to get back to Regular Members within five days. Either to respond back saying we’re looking into it or at least respond back to them. As I’ve stated before, some areas will take some time as well.