Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yesterday I spoke briefly about the change in the advertising practice by the Department of Human Resources. I would like to further discuss our government’s recent decision to move all government job recruitment on-line.

As of October 1st, the Department of Human Resources stopped putting individual job ads and job listings in print media publications, instead opting for a half-page ad promoting itself as an employer and telling people to go on-line to look for openings.

As I said yesterday, I am concerned that this action will make it more difficult for NWT residents...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We will continue with Tabled Document 22-17(5) and the opening comments to the Department of Human Resources.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I was remiss earlier and I need to recognize some Pages from Frame Lake who have been working for us here this week. I know that Mr. Ramsay mentioned Chris Yurris, but he does live in Frame Lake. I don’t know if somebody doesn’t know that, so I’m going to recognize Chris Yurris. I’m going to recognize Emily Paddock and I’m going to recognize John O’Connor and thank them all for their service, and all the Pages who are doing a great job. Thank you.

Thanks, Madam Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I am really glad to hear that we are looking at making things as equal for these sports that aren’t part of the Arctic Winter Games as possible.

My last ask of the Minister would be, when details are a little more firm, when the location is determined and when costing perhaps has been figured out, if the Minister would provide an update to Members maybe by e-mail or letter or something just to keep us up to date.

Thanks to the Minister for that. The Minister has said that a location has been identified; it may not be confirmed.

I would like to ask the Minister if all the sports are going to be able to be in one location, whatever that location is, or are they going to be in several locations in 2016. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thanks to the Minister, but I want to reiterate that what Members were asking for in the 16th and the 17th and what we’re now expecting is a full analysis of the project, as the Minister said, from the time that it was contracted…actually, from the time that I think the act was passed to when it was fully completed.

I’d like to know from the Minister, if that has not been done, when he responds, will he please advise when Members can expect that kind of analysis and report? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. I’m not so worried about the engagement. I know that the superintendents and the board chairs and the boards have been involved all along and that they have known about this initiative. My question is: When were they advised that their funding was going to be reduced for the ‘14-15 budget year? If the Minister doesn’t have that information, that’s fine, I can appreciate that, but it’s my understanding that it wasn’t very long ago; that they were not advised of the funding at the time the project was put forward.

The Minister mentioned that the superintendents had...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister for those numbers. The Minister said in his response that our education authorities are run by professional administrators, and I totally agree with the Minister, and I, too, have confidence in those authorities and in the trustees that run the boards, but my understanding is that it’s been fairly late notice for these reductions to the superintendents and to the boards and gives them little time to adjust.

I would like to ask the Minister, for my information, when were the education authorities advised of these reductions, these changes in pupil...

I didn’t really hear an answer there so I will try again. My understanding is that, for instance, the two school districts in Yellowknife, Yellowknife Education District No. 1 and Yellowknife Catholic Schools will lose funding to provide junior kindergarten in 29 communities and they will not get kindergarten in the ’14-15 year.

My question to the Minister is: Does he consider it fair that the larger centres, four communities, will give up some funding with no return in ’14-15?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday a banner was unfurled at Yellowknife Education District No. 1, a banner celebrating 2014 as the anniversary of 75 years of Educating for Life. Seventy-five years ago, on January 30, 1939, the original little log cabin schoolhouse now on Franklin Avenue in downtown YK was opened as the first school in Yellowknife. Eighteen students aged from six to 15 years attended classes under the guidance of Mr. Davies, their temporary teacher. A month later Ms. Mildred Hall arrived, the first permanent teacher for Yellowknife.

Life in Yellowknife was very basic in those...