Jackson Lafferty

...with the current government system. At the same time, again, this is an area that we need to seriously look at with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council. We provide funding to them so they can deliver those key deliverances into the communities and regions as well.

Yes, the Member has raised that issue in the House. At the same time, the Member should also be raising that issue with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council because we are working hand in hand with them. I need to work with them to strengthen those ties because, again, we provide funding through them to the region. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Simply, we are not forgetting the students out there. We are covering the northern students, the isolated students, and also the students of the Northwest Territories. We provide funding to the school boards so they can sponsor those students in their schools, in their regions, as well as supporting them going through a transition of another community. So those are the support mechanisms that we provide through the school boards, Mr. Speaker.

At the same time, my department is working closely with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to make it effective and efficient when...

I don’t have the actual breakdown, but I do have the paperwork with the PWS that we work closely together with the school board to identify the needs of the community, the schools, and also the needs of the school board. So we can provide that information to the Member or Members for their information as well. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Trout Lake School, there’s been some work on the school itself and part of just some minor capital upgrades scheduled for the school that was slated for 2010-2011 as part of the capital plan. We talk about the new capital plans that are coming up in the 16th Assembly and on to the 17th Assembly. So those are the discussions that need to take place with the school board, and I need to work closely with the school board and also the Members as well. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. One of the priorities for this Assembly is to strengthen awareness of our northern identify and uniqueness by promoting our culture. I am very pleased to advise this House that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment held a ceremony today to celebrate the tremendous cultural contributions made by people across this territory.

Some months ago the Minister’s Cultural Circle was launched. We requested nominations for those Northerners who contribute to the preservation and promotion of the Northwest Territories cultures and heritage. Nominations poured in, Mr...

Mr. Speaker, the tough on crime has been in the works, again, for some time now, and we are doing an overall assessment of the Northwest Territories, the corrections, the program delivery, and we can provide that information to the Members for their review as well.

This is an area of interest for us. Whatever happens at the federal/provincial/territorial jurisdictions, it does have implications in our jurisdiction, as well, when it comes to tough on crime and more program delivery for those inmates and the minimum jail time, whether they serve it in the Northwest Territories or outside the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This federal legislation, tough on crime, has been in the works for quite some time now. First it was the Youth Criminal Justice Act and then this tough on crime. One of our main goals and objectives as we come to the table at the federal/provincial/territorial Ministers meeting is to push for more programming into the regions and into the communities. More specifically, for the three territorial jurisdictions, because we’re quite unique compared to other provincial jurisdictions, and they’re fully aware of that too. We’ve been pushing with the federal, especially with the...

Clearly, we are not giving up on the students. We are supporting all students of the Northwest Territories. We represent 33 communities. Through the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, the tabling of the document in this House, clearly highlights the strategy that’s in place to identify those students who are struggling, those students from isolated communities, and those students who may be challenged. Those are the people that we need to continue to work with. It’s a new document. It’s going to strengthen the communities, it’s going to strengthen the education system of the Northwest...

At the beginning, also mid-term and at the end of our term we were told not to make any major or drastic changes...

Mahsi. One of the priorities is, of course, the schools, as part of my portfolio as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. That is my priority. I have to look after all of the schools, make sure they’re well operated, and also that it meets the community’s needs as well. So those schools that have been identified for future consideration definitely will be in the work of the 17th Assembly. So those are the discussions that need to take place as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.