Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. The 49 schools that we’re responsible for, any issues or concerns brought to our attention we have to work with PWS, Public Works and Services. We have addressed a lot of them, but they are continuous challenges that we’re faced with, whether it be the mice and other issues that the school boards bring to our attention. So, we’ll continue to work with that through Public Works and Services and to deal with those matters immediately.

The community learning centres, this is an area that Aurora College is responsible for under their umbrella. If there’s a request that comes in...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. There are purposes for having policies in place and the process itself where individual students are sponsored, up to 1,600 students. There are students out there who also qualify for southern funding, as well, in provincial jurisdictions. We have to be careful that there are no duplications. We are mindful of that and we are monitoring it as well. Those are some areas where we have policies in place so there’s no duplication from other jurisdictions, so there is no double-dipping. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Obviously, in the meantime, those concerns and issues that have been brought to our attention, we’ll continue to work on with the principal and the school board. With the new school that the Member is referring to, obviously that’s an area that I need to work with PWS. My department is willing to meet with the school board to talk about the next step and how that’s going to look. We’re reaching out to the community. We want to sit down with them and develop a plan. Obviously, there’s a process in place that we need to follow in order to come to this table. So, we’re more than open to discuss...

Obviously, there is a process in place. We’ve been at this for some time now. We are working with divisional education councils and obviously working very closely with the Department of Public Works and Services to confirm this is the highest priority projects for my department to move forward on. Safety is always a big concern and priority for my department and also the GNWT. That’s why this is before us. Safe schools has been a very important process we have been working with. Again, I just want to re-emphasize we are working with all school boards to make it a priority for the other 49...

This is an area I need to discuss with my counterpart, Human Resources. We are dealing with personnel at the community level. It’s not just the cultural values, cultural programs as the Member indicated, but we also deal with the personnel. Those are discussions we should be having with the two departments.

I will commit to the Member that I will be speaking to the HR department to see what could be done to improve our relationship we have with the current leadership and also the elders in the communities to make them more accessible and aware as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I can only speak to Education, Culture and Employment programs that we deliver. What the Member is referring to is GNWT professionals in the communities, and that could touch on various departments, more specifically with the Human Resources department.

Within my department, as I stated, there is ongoing dialogue with the school boards to deliver these orientations. So the teachers, the professionals, the support staff are fully engaged, fully aware of programs that are available to them such as the elders contact. This will be brought back to the school boards and also the support staff and...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “GNWT Response to Committee Report 14-17(5): Report on the 2014 Review of the Official Languages Act.”

It is the will of this Assembly to move that forward. The feasibility has been done. All the information has been provided. The 18th Assembly is the new government that is coming into play within the next couple of months. If it is seen as a priority for the 18th Assembly, then the groundwork has already been done, all the information. The fiscal situation, depending on the 18th Assembly, how they want to proceed with it.

This information, the feasibility study, all the groundwork that we’ve done will be laid, again, for the new Assembly coming into force within the next couple of months.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The tabling of the document, Universal Affordable Daycare Feasibility Study, in May and June 2015, is a comprehensive package that has been delivered to us. We had an outside consultant give us some feedback of an affordability nature. Obviously, this area does create some challenges within my department within GNWT. When we talk about existing licenced child care spaces, obviously we would have to double that in the communities. This is information that was shared to us by consultants as well. Many communities are lacking infrastructure, as well, so we have to build on...

Part of the cultural development and also supporting those areas obviously falls within the community and working with the community, especially the elders and how they can provide wisdom and knowledge. When it comes to a grieving process, obviously we are going through that process as well. We’ve gone through so many of them already in the communities. We have our staff working with the community leaders and community elders, counsellors.

Obviously, there is a respect for culture. At the end of the day, if there is a lack of awareness of the cultural perspective, a lack of respect, then we...