Jackson Lafferty

What the Member is referring to is revenue generation through business. That was at the discretion of the school board to decide a few years back to offer…now it will be called JK, junior kindergarten. So, obviously, again, it will be up to the parents to decide. The school board has two years to decide on that. So, Mr. Speaker, those are the discussions that we’ve had both with YK1 and YCS and NWT school boards on these implications. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I guess simply put is that we don’t have the new funding available to us. I’ve been trying to get some actual numbers from Finance where our financial situation is and obviously we’re not in a positive in that regard. In a perfect world, obviously, we would be seeking additional funding, but since we don’t have that at this point, I had to work innovatively and creatively within our department, so that’s what we have done. We’ve reached out to the PTR that’s available to us. We’re still under our legislated level, so you’ll have to keep that in mind. We’re at that point.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Education Renewal and Innovation Support Documents.”

Also, further to my Return to Written Question 17-17(5), I wish to table the following document, entitled “Enrolments and Contributions by Education Authority.” Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

The day home operators are not sinking. Maybe that’s the view of the Member, but in my view, we will continue to support them. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, our work on Education Renewal and Innovation is well underway, with more feedback, information and support coming forward as we share our work with northern stakeholders and experts in the field.

As you know, we have held extensive engagements with many of our stakeholders, including our education partners. This inclusive approach has continued into the development of the action plan. As we speak, the ERI team is out in the communities and regions talking to the public, teachers, parents and students. Early feedback from these meetings is very positive and people are engaged and...

When we talk about legislation passed by this House, 16 to 1. So there has been a generous contribution over the last decade because we had money, we had funds at that time which we don’t at this point. In order to roll out the junior kindergarten, we won’t be the worse. British Columbia, as you see here, is 16.8, we are 16 to 1. Yes, it may be at the bottom, but it’s something to work with.

Then we have our Finance Minister in Ottawa meeting with the Finance Minister of Canada. There could be some changes coming. Certainly, we can re-evaluate our situation at that time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

As I indicated earlier through this session, JK is optional. It will be up to the parents to decide if they want to take their kids to JK or continue with the day homes. The budget, everybody has to budget, not only in my department but daycare operators, day home operators, they have to budget too. These are reporting mechanisms. We have to work with them. Those are some of the facts that we share with them. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My department met with the superintendents of all regions and those 23 communities are rolling out their junior kindergarten programming. Part of the package will be for them to utilize the PTR, the funding that will be allocated towards the Junior Kindergarten Program. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, those are the discussions that we need to have. I am going to Fort Providence and I will be meeting with that organization.

We have to keep in mind that you’re talking about eight communities. I am responsible for 33 communities and I want to deliver the most effective programming, that’s JK, into the communities. JK is based on Dene Kede and Inuinnaqtun curriculum that recognizes northern culture. It makes learning experimental.

This is the curriculum the program came out with. We have to make it a success in the communities. That’s what I’m committed to. In Fort Providence and...

At the end of the day, the Members are asking me to go after new funding which, obviously, we don’t have. I do not have that in my back pocket. The GNWT doesn’t have it. Again, it’s the words of the Finance Minister that we have to be innovative, live within our means and exercise fiscal prudence, the public money, to take a hard look at where we spend our money and if we do better by re-profiling part of it. We’ve done that. My department has done that. We will continue to work with the school boards to make it a very successful project.