Jackson Lafferty

Yes, Mr. Chair, I do.

I want to reassure that we are not hiding anything within our system. We provide any data that’s available on the Northwest Territories education system, because we want to be transparent and we want to be accountable to what’s before us. That’s the very reason why we’re going throughout the Northwest Territories in all regions to deal with the education matters. We are very concerned about that. We want to come to a solution. There is a solution at the grassroots, communities, who we are seeking advice from. It is happening. The federal, yes, we continuously lobby them through Education...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As you know, the Student Financial Assistance Program is one of the greatest benefits of all throughout Canada. There is other funding available through DIAND throughout Canada for First Nations students. Dene and Inuit students can apply for USEP funding through that department. That is additional funding on top of the SFA that’s out there.

The Member is referring to upgrading. We currently don’t provide funding for upgrading, but we provide funding for access programs through Aurora College and other institutions, as long as there’s an access program, such as access to...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to provide an update to the Legislative Assembly on Not Us, the Government of the Northwest Territories anti-drug campaign.

Addictions and the crimes they lead to have serious life consequences. This government has a focus on prevention by promoting healthy choices and lifestyles, and the role of personal and family responsibility. The Not Us campaign is unique. It’s community-based, so it’s different everywhere. We don’t tell people how it’s going to be. They tell us how it’s going to be. There’s no right or wrong way to fight addictions in your community. It’s...

Yes, Mr. Chair, I would.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. For J.H. Sissons School there was a request that’s been brought forward on Public Works and Services to complete an updated 2002 technical status evaluation. This review was completed in September 2010. Although the building does require renovation, there are no immediate health or safety issues identified at this time. This could be part of next year’s capital plan as we move forward. That’s part of the reason why it wasn’t part of this, along with other pressing urgencies of other projects. I’ll get Mr. Daniels to address Mildred Hall and maybe if he wants to elaborate...

Mr. Speaker, at the ECE department we’ve launched a new program this fiscal year called Small Community Employment Support Program, and it has been very, very successful to date, Mr. Speaker. As of September 2010, a total of $223,400 was given to 27 employers, and 98 youth in 19 small and remote communities were hired. This program will be delivered on an ongoing basis and it has been beneficial to date. Mahsi.

I don’t have the numbers right now, but we do have a vast variety of child cares and daycares in the Northwest Territories. When it comes to infrastructure, they will fall under that as well. There are quite a few. We’re talking millions, not a couple hundred thousand. I think we need to be very careful on approaching this particular area. We have discussed it in the past, but, like I said, with O and M we can be somewhat flexible in making those changes.

I understand where the Member is coming from and I need to work with that with possibly through the O and M, what else can we improve on so...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I do agree that ECE plays a role in addressing low employment rates across the Northwest Territories, but we have to keep in mind that we cannot do it alone as the GNWT. There have to be other partners, aboriginal partners, municipalities, and also industries in the communities and also individuals. So those are our partners that we continue to work with. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. When it comes to capital for, let’s say, child care or a daycare, we do not provide capital infrastructure funding but we do provide O and M to cover the operational costs. We’ve had similar requests in other regions as well, but some other regions have been successful in obtaining some partnerships, whether it be the community First Nation or a corporation that forms a partnership with a certain organization. They’ve come to us to seek funding on the O and M costs. We’ve also geared them towards the federal area as well, because there are different piles of funding and...