Jackson Lafferty

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...

We have across 33 community schools in all communities that deal with these particular issues. It is the principal in the schools and administration team that does that type of work through the custodial work. At the same time, I would encourage the MLA to also meet with the local school board to see what kind of planning is in place. They are fully aware of what’s happening here and there are plans in place for fencing and cameras for next year as well. We are doing what we can as the Department of Education along with Public Works. At the same time, the community plays an important role as...

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Definitely the option is there for the Sahtu leadership to pursue that. We will need some sort of a Sahtu needs assessment as we move forward to next year’s capital planning project. We did already hear bits and pieces of the training centre at the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative while we were in the Sahtu, so it is in our discussions. Definitely if the Sahtu leadership want to push this further, then by all means they have the options to do that as well. But we do need the needs assessment.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment is pleased to share news about the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative that focuses on increasing accomplishments of aboriginal students across the Northwest Territories.

The success of all students is important for the Northwest Territories. However, aboriginal students have been lagging behind non-aboriginal students. While we are making progress on this challenge, we nonetheless want to enhance the improvement.

Mr. Speaker, the initiative’s long-term goal is to develop and implement a territorial plan to help...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha that Bill 5, Apprenticeship, Trade and Occupations Certification Act, be read for the third time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, with the recent announcement of the power rate reduction, I’m sure that will support and also benefit the community. With regard to the Income Security Framework, we continue to provide that service, Mr. Speaker. Again, we are aware of the high cost of living in small communities. We did visit the Member’s riding. I did visit the Member’s riding when I was a Regular MLA and toured the store as well. We know the high cost. That is why we want to increase our programming as it is comes out to funding as well. We did increase the funding in 2007. We will definitely look at it again...

Mr. Speaker, we continue to deliver a subsidy program to the communities. It’s also adjusted by the region. So the higher the costs of the community, the rate changes in that area as well.

With the federal subsidy that was delivered through Canada Post previous years back. There have been some changes in that area. I believe they’re focusing on three main companies that will be delivering that for the food delivery. This will not complement what we do. We will continue to deliver the subsidy program to those communities that are in need, the 33 communities that we service. Mr. Speaker, that...

You almost forgot me there. [English translation not provided]

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say thank you to Mr. Whitford for being an ambassador of the Northwest Territories. You know, you can’t really say no to an elder when an elder asks you to include him in a journey we have with our portfolios. When I first became Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, visiting the schools and gradation dates and so forth, when I first met Tony and we sat down, of course he told so many stories at that time too, but he asked me if I could include him in my journey and I couldn’t say no to an...