Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, our goal and mandate is to provide the true quality education here in the Northwest Territories along with the partnership with the various southern institutions so they do accredit our programs as well. We deliver high school programs, not only that but post-secondary as well. We have been successful in that degree.

I did a Member’s statement, 102 graduates out of the post-secondary. We are pushing the students through the venue through post-secondary level and through the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative. That is an area that will be the prime focus on the education...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Throughout our Territory, graduation and convocation ceremonies are taking place to acknowledge the great and many achievements of our talented and gifted students.

We have over 8,600 students enrolled in grades kindergarten to 12 in 49 schools across the North. As each student progresses to each new grade level, they bring with them many lessons and skills to further build on and develop. We congratulate these students for their hard work and recognize their efforts in successfully completing an important educational milestone.

At the post-secondary level, 2009-2010 saw 102...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to update the House on our work in family law reform. This supports our government’s priority of Building our Future by investing in effective and accessible programs that help families in transition move forward in a positive way.

As Members know, the Department of Justice now offers a mediation service and a course on parenting after separation and divorce. Both these courses are free to participants. They are designed to help parents resolve issues that arise because of a divorce or separation. They also help them continue to be effective parents in changing...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Annual Report on the Activities of the Rental Office, January 1st to December 31st, 2009. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

These are the discussions we’ll definitely need to have, along with other capital projects that are in the system. But this will lead to our general discussion about the community library. It has been in the works for quite some time now. The discussion has been brought to this level as well. Mr. Speaker, I’m sure the Member will be addressing that issue, as well, as we move forward discussing the capital plans within Education, Culture and Employment. So, Mr. Speaker, yes, we will be discussing this topic along with other capital projects as we move forward. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce that the Corrections Northern Recruit Training Program is coming to Fort Smith.

This program supports the “Attraction and Recruitment” goal of the GNWT’s long-term strategic plan for the public service: “20/20: A Brilliant North.” The goal is to create a public service that reflects the diverse cultures of the NWT while promoting the development and advancement of our own people.

The six-week program provides the basic skills Northerners need to be eligible for entry-level jobs in our correctional facilities in Hay River, Yellowknife, Fort Smith and...

We haven’t identified funding for that particular initiative, but we want to see what comes out of this meeting that we’re going to be having with the departmental staff and the Dehcho board as well, and also the superintendent that’s involved. We need to have a planning process coming out of that so we can involve that into our capital planning process. So I can’t really say that we will commit funds at this time, but that should be a part of the working document that will be put toward us as a department from the DEC. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since our last visit to Simpson, looking at the library and the situation it’s in and that the books are stored away, I did instruct my departmental staff to visit the community and look at those options that were put forward by the Dehcho Education Council back in March 2010. They’ve identified four different options and we were waiting for the community to come back to provide us with the options. Now we have those options and my department is going to the community to meet with -- I believe the MLA is arranging that meeting -- the superintendents and the board as well...

Yes, I would commit to the Member that we’ll provide departmental staff to work closely with the DEC, and also the Member, as we move forward developing a package plan for the capital planning and whatever we need at the development stages. So we’ll provide those resources that we possibly can to provide an action plan. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I am in no position to dictate to the DEA, but they should be telling me that they want more. That is an area where we need to cooperate. We need to work together. We need to build a strong relationship that we have right now. This has been identified as a priority for the community. We recognize that, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to the Member that we will do what we can to push this further, expedite the process during our capital planning process. Mahsi.