Jackson Lafferty

We support all the students. We want them to be successful. It’s not only our department, it’s across departments, so I need to work with my colleagues. There is the Nursing Program and social work programming, teachers in our system. Those are the areas and professions that we want to place in our schools, in our nursing stations in our health care system. So it is our priority to work with them to push them in that direction. At the end of the day, it is their decision, Mr. Chair. So we’ll continue to push as a government. Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, I will get my deputy to elaborate more on the reaction, but I can share with the Member that when we first initiated this discussion we did state that there was going to be some funding changes. We did consult with the superintendent as well. Of course, their argument back also was the higher costs to operate, but we did an evaluation of the program and this is how much the overall programming is costing the organization. If there are additional substantiation costs, well, give us that information. We are awaiting that information, if there are additional costs. But if I can get my...

Mr. Chair, the SFA review and also the terms of reference, the terms of reference will be drafted up. We are looking at ‘11 and ‘12. Mahsi.

With any motion that comes forward we look at it and see where it can fit within our programming. At the same time we, as it stands now, will be reviewing the SFA programming and that will happen this year. This is an area we can look at as an option. I’m sure we’ll be hearing from students out there from the communities. It has been brought up before in this House as well as at question period, so I’m sure there will be community members that will be raising those issues. It has been addressed and we’ll definitely look at it in due time.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The dangerous offender status or designation is the responsibility of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada under federal jurisdiction. If there is concern that the Member is addressing or bringing forward, then by all means we can receive the detailed information and share with our colleagues at the federal level.

Yes, indeed, there are tough decisions that need to be made by the school boards and also by ECE. Again, it may not be a priority of the board, I don’t know. Because we have to hire teachers, we have to hire subs, we have to hire the staff and do programming for students, those are also priorities as well. So I have to respect the priorities of the school boards, as well, but this is an area that we need to discuss further, as I indicated earlier. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we are going through a financial crunch, but this is something that we can definitely explore for next year’s budget. We have already identified the $150,000 and Student Financial Assistance program, of course, with a number of family members, but this is an area that we can explore further. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. As we know, in the Northwest Territories trades are in high demand. We have to focus on those students who are currently enrolled in high school. The college itself, they may have discussed it as a Board of Governors. I have to verify that with them. At the same time, within our department I did say we are looking on Trades on Wheels, similar to the Beaufort-Delta. I’m hoping that someday we’ll be in the Sahtu region, Deh Cho and other areas as well. So those are the key initiatives that we are discussing within our department with other potential partners as well. Mahsi, Mr...

Mr. Chair, some of the money that’s been identified or reallocated to other programming to offset the costs of, I guess you would say, higher costs to operate. The money has been expended in other areas as well. Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, I totally agree with the Member. This is an area that we have explored and we are currently working the college as well. Community learning centres fall under the college, but there have been talks about the schools -- the schools are open during the school year but closed during the summer -- how we can take advantage of that during the summer months. There have been talks about different programming over the summer months so there can be continuity.

One obstacle that’s also in the way is the union issue where teachers, once they finish school they’re off over the summer, but there...