Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We trust the board chairs and we trust the superintendents’ information that will be provided to us on the numbers that we need to work with. We will continue to work closely with them, because we provide funding to them and there’s accountability attached to that as well. So, Mr. Speaker, on a going forward basis in April we’ll be discussing and we’ll develop an action plan from there. Mahsi.

Mr. Chairman, this particular program is basic needs, food and shelter. If we go beyond food and shelter, where do we stop with that? Plus it’s just a subsidy program so we would prefer to spend on shelter and food for the families. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, we need to be aware of what kind of investigation it was. We don’t have any background in this area. If the Member can share that information, I can have my department look at it even closer, what kind of investigation was undertaken by whom and what kind of processes are available to that individual. We need that additional information before I speak to it. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that particular area that has been addressed by the Member, we did look into that where individual seniors, if they own a home, then they’re eligible for the seniors home fuel subsidy. There is a criteria for that where they have to own the home in order to qualify. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we will take that into consideration. In 2007, we did have an increase of 30 percent into our programming dollars. So we do continue to improve and enhance our programming. We also have improved early childhood programming, family literacy, outdoor play space, nutrition and staff training. Those are just some of the programs that are available to the communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, we are hoping to complete the review of the particular program we’re hoping by this fall and then we will present it to the standing committee. Then it will be part of the business planning cycle for next year.

Mr. Speaker, when I said there was a review, maybe some regions haven’t conducted their reviews yet on school operations and the overall school review. So if Tu Nedhe want their review, whether it be one community or two communities, that can be requested by the divisional education council, and working with the MLA and with my department we can initiate that discussion. We do have somebody that is specialized in that area that does go into the community to review those. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we’re always very cautious on when we deal with those matters at hand, especially when the review comes into play. Once it’s produced, then there will be plenty of discussion to take place, and we will be keeping the Members up to speed on what the next step would be. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Really it comes up to the two departments and LHOs and organizations that we need to work with. If we can expedite the process, we are certainly open for that. As long as we have our ducks lined up and the transition period is as smooth as possible, we’ll take those into consideration as well. The Housing Minister is here, as well, listening to the process.

Mr. Speaker, we are not picking on this individual, the student we are talking about here. We are talking about the program that is being offered here in the Northwest Territories in April, three weeks after the one that is starting up in NAIT. That will cost us over $4,000, Mr. Speaker. That $4,000 can go into our campuses here in the Northwest Territories as opposed to going south. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.