Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee wishes to continue with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment main estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Mr. Chairman, we put these local governing authorities in place in the community level, thinking that they will provide us good feedback on what is an effective way to expend ECE dollars to get the best results for the students. I would like to ask the Minister: has there been an analysis done showing what the impact is going to be of these reductions in the funding, especially when you consider that if these students do not get these credits that they need to conclude their high school diplomas, that they will probably be coming back into the system at some point to either have upgrading or...

Mr. Chairman, this particular initiative seems like it’s been particularly successful and falls very nicely in with the Aboriginal student achievement goals of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Chairman, what would it take to have these two programs... I’m particularly concerned about Hay River, but they are part of the same educational division. What would it take to have these two programs grandfathered at their current funding levels? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I have the committee’s approval then, to ask about that.

Mr. Chairman, why is the Department of Education, Culture and Employment significantly reducing funding for students in the innovative and highly successful programs that our partners and ECE have otherwise been celebrating staff and student accomplishments? Why are we significantly reducing that funding for the alternative schooling program as disclosed yesterday that the program in Hay River is looking at a $200,000 reduction? Thank you.

I’m not sure if this is still the right page, Mr. Chairman, but I have some more questions about the alternative schooling. Could I still ask it on this page?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With an increasing number of professionals and tradespeople reaching the age of retirement, there has been a great demand for skilled workers and tradespeople in the North and, in fact, throughout the world. The Government of the Northwest Territories offers one of the best apprenticeship programs in the country and the number of students enrolling in these programs has reached a record high.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize Hay River’s recipients of the apprenticeship and occupations honour roll and top mark awards for 2009-2010. The following students have...

That’s all the questions I had on that for now. I’m not happy with the answers, I’m not satisfied with them. I think the government is making a mistake by reducing the funding to these worthwhile projects, one in Fort Smith and the one in Hay River. Like I said, I’m not satisfied with the response, but I will pursue it at another time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to ask some questions about the storefront schooling, alternative schooling for students. That may not be appropriately on this page. Would that come under funding to district education authorities on page 10-33 or would this be the time to ask about that?

Will there be any impact on the staffing level at the alternative school? Will this decrease of $200,000 impact their resources or their staffing in the next school year? Thank you.