Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This is an area that Aurora College has been exploring, the Board of Governors, for some time now. They are currently in the process of developing a long-term plan, a five-year plan on how they can deal with the community deliverance of certain programming. So we are, as the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, also working very closely with the college as part of their overall goals and objectives of what kinds of programs will be delivered, whether it is Inuvik, Fort Smith or Yellowknife and the surrounding communities. So those are some areas we are...

We’re fully aware of all of these different stats and the calculation that has been changed by the federal government. It is a federal government administered program, the EI, so I will provide the facts that the Member is alluding to.

Mahsi. The Member is asking for more detailed information and I can certainly provide the breakdown of the stats. Again, I don’t have the breakdown of the stats in front of me, but I can assure the Member that the Canada Job Fund is an area that we’ve negotiated with the federal government to deal with those individuals at the community level where there’s high unemployment at the community level. Not only that, there’s also a Labour Market Development Agreement where we’re currently negotiating with the federal government to provide more flexibility for those individuals that are on EI as...

Mahsi. We do appreciate the leadership’s input into the design of the planning studies. So, those are discussions that we are currently having.

As I stated, my understanding is that October 2014, this month, it will be completed as part of our work with Public Works and Services and my Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the project brief that’s been discussed with both departments, along with the leadership’s input. So we’ll take those into consideration as well. Mahsi.

In June of 2013, I, along with Minister Beaulieu, Mr. Menicoche and Deh Cho Divisional Education Council and my departmental staff visited the community and the school to have a visual of the reality of what Members have referred to in this House over the years. Due to that fact, there is a planning study that is on the way in 2014-2015 to deal with the part of the long-term plan that the Member is alluding to. We’ve identified a short-term plan to initiate a renovation within the school for additional space that is required, but there is a plan in place where we had a site visit in 2014 and I...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize a delegation in the gallery. First I’d like to recognize NWTTA president Gayla Meredith here with us today, and also executive director Dave Roebuck that’s here with us, as well, from the NWTTA. Also, we have two distinguished guests from the communities of Gameti and Whati and they’re a part of the MACA School of Community Government law course they’re taking. I’d just like to recognize Judal Dominicata, SAO of Gameti and also Lisa Nitsiza, SAO trainee in Whati. Welcome to the gallery. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 13-17(5), Training for Early Childhood Workers;” and “Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 22-17(5), Funding to Implement Junior Kindergarten.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Part of the long-term needs of the school and also the community is to develop a planning study. That is part of the process of capital projects that will be identified by each department. So, we need to have a planning study in place and this is a part of May 2014 when my staff visited the community. That’s part of the preliminary discussions that they need to have with the community based on their needs and analysis. So yes, that is part of the community visits that they initiated and there will be opportunities for community members to provide their input as well. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. With respect to Trout Lake school, there’s been a review undertaken, part of the review of the small community schools. The Charles Tetso School has resulted in a recommendation for renovation and also additional construction, research and support space for the students and also the staff population. That is the proposed plan right now for construction within the community of Trout Lake.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We have to follow the act, as well, the Education Act, which does speak to territorial-wide PTR of 16 to 1. That’s the legislation level that we’re working with that’s before us. We’ll continue to work with the school boards at that level. Mahsi.