Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Member that we need to focus on early childhood. That’s when the students learn. We need to invest heavily in that area. We have been doing that and will continue to do that, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Member that we need to focus on those early childhood students that are in our elementary schools or preschools and onwards. Mahsi.

Mr. Chairman, that funding is based on enrolment, the funding that we provide to the schools. That is the increase. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. That is correct, what the Member is referring to.

In due time could mean tomorrow, next week. It’s up to the organization to provide that information. Once they provide that information, I will be sharing it with the Members.

I would also take that into serious consideration, because we have to deal with early childhood matters. The programming that we currently deliver, as you know, there are always changes that occur in different programming and different policies. As I stated, there is a review undertaken so we’ll closely monitor that, and if we need to make changes as we listen to the Members’ concerns, it will reflect on that as well. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, that is the very reason why we’re doing this initiative. Concern was raised by the parents, the community members, the leadership, the educators in the communities, all communities of the Northwest Territories. That’s when the Aboriginal student achievement has been undertaken. That’s been identified where the students’ attendance is an issue and the quality of education has been brought to our attention as well. There is a strategy that’s been developed through the action oriented coming from the people of the Northwest Territories. It’s not my department saying this is good for...

Mr. Chair, those services will be based on an application basis. We haven’t identified the communities yet. We’re still waiting for applications to be submitted, so we are just waiting. Mahsi.

Mr. Chairman, the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, as you know, is still a working document. We are still visiting two more regions. There may have been a shift to focus on literacy for community library coordinator and libraries in the communities. It is based on the input that we received from the general public. We are moving forward on the recommendations. It is not us as a department saying this is what is good for the communities. Next year it could be in a different format. It could be early childhood that we need to focus on.

Mr. Chairman, once we started the initiative, we...

The information I have is that the recommendations that were brought to our attention, some of those recommendations will be covered through this budget process. The others will also be covered in next year’s budget as well. What the Member is specifically highlighting is also an area that we’ll need to monitor as well. So some of the aspects of the detailed information on the recommendations will be part of this budget that’s before us. Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, I agree with the Member; I think that this is a given that we need to consult with those organizations that are involved. Definitely, we will be consulting with them as well. Mahsi.