Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, those are the funds that have been allocated to the schools, but due to low enrolment, the money has gone down a bit. It’s all based on enrolment. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, this Ecole Boreale, we are always in negotiation with the federal government just on expansion itself, even here in Yellowknife. Those two schools, we have been in contact on numerous occasions with the previous superintendent of the French school and also even now with the new person onboard, that we continue throughout the open communication dialogue, because we need their support as well when we are faced with the federal government. At the same time, within our department, I will continue to work with other departments in the area of recreation, the gymnasium piece of the area...

We will be asking the boards to provide to the department a summary of the current system that they have and just an ad hoc process, the practice that they have done for years; some of the activities that allow greater collaboration between the boards and agencies in the regions. With that in mind, we will be seeking input into areas of collaboration from our department to the regional boards and also case management to strengthen in that regard. We are also very interested in identifying ways to improve the overall accountability and reporting by the boards. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, throughout this session and in the previous session, as well, we did share the highlights of the graduation among the aboriginal groups or even the northern students. It has been very successful to date. Yes, we are currently dealing with a challenge on enrolment and absenteeism in the schools, but we are developing a plan of action to deal with those matters. I did highlight some of the key areas we’ve initiated with providing worthwhile investment into the school boards so they can deal with those enrolment and absenteeism challenges before us. There has been...

Mr. Chair, when we toured the community, it has been... I saw some positive outcomes out of it where the language spoken by the students, they can’t leave their classroom until they say a word every day. It was fascinating to observe. Those are areas we are seriously looking at through our funding criteria. The Member is asking if the money or the funds that have been lapsed could be used towards that. It would all depend on discussions with aboriginal groups. We do have representatives from, I believe, the Member’s riding. They can certainly bring that information back to their discussion...

Mr. Speaker, this will be part of the discussion that we’re going to be having on the capital projects for future discussion, along with other schools throughout the Northwest Territories. Definitely, this will be part of the discussion we will be having within our department and also the education council for Nahendeh. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Those TSC chargeback costs is a target adjustment required to reflect the new rate structure and to fund the growth in the network, Internet and DCN, usage costs and the implementation of the Strategic Security Initiative. So those are the cost factors. Mahsi.

With the specific plans of the school specs, we do go through with PWS and also other departments as required. But I can get back to the Member on the specific gymnasium that she’s referring to. Those are the discussions that we continue to have with other departments that are actively involved in this area.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. The funding overall will be covering some aspects of going to small communities, such as increase in funding to license early childhood programs in small, isolated communities up to $350,000. This way the young children in small, isolated communities can certainly benefit from it. Those are the areas of increase to our funding to deal with small, isolated communities. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, this particular capital plan that we’re talking about, we need to work with the divisional education council as well. Also, I need to work with my colleague the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs with respect to the recreation, the gymnasium area. We have done that in the past where we’ve had communities partnering on a certain expansion in the schools. Those are the discussions that we can certainly have with the Member and also the Member’s leadership at the community level. I think, Mr. Speaker, this particular issue that’s before us, we’ll discuss it further. Mahsi.