Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that we’re going to have all these various and sundry factors looked at. I think it is high time.

This formula hasn’t been working for quite a while. I’d like to know from the Minister if he can give us any kind of idea when the formula will be revised and when we can see an implementation of a new revised formula. Will it be at the start of the school year for 2013-2014?

Mr. Chair, I appreciate that commitment and I look forward to seeing the information.

My last question here has to do with a statement in the Minister’s remarks. It had to do with the Aurora College housing. We are closing down the unit. There are savings realized by PWS from closing the existing units. It then says that the savings from PWS will be used to fund a portion of the department’s main estimates. I found that very confusing. Could I get an explanation of what is going on here? Are we transferring money from PWS to Education or what? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to just ask a question follow-through on the Aboriginal languages section and ask a question here as well. I’ve mentioned a number of times that the department has indicated, or I think they’ve indicated, that there should be some amendments coming to the Official Languages Act. There was a recommendation from committee in the 16th Assembly to amalgamate the Aboriginal Languages Board and the Revitalization Board as well. There were some difficulties, I think, with legislative amendments, I think, because of federal legislation. I’d like to get an update from the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to ask a question with regard to the Early Childhood Development Program. Earlier in the budget when we were talking about the early childhood development and the money that we are spending in the budget, there was a $50,000 amount mentioned for Aurora College for the Early Childhood Development Certification Program. I know we have one now but it’s not a program which, I gather, provides certification which is recognized across Canada once people are done with that diploma. Could I get an explanation from the Minister on two things? What was the $50,000...

Thanks to the Minister for that response. I’m really glad to hear that the formula is under review. I think the Minister has mentioned that a number of times last week.

Some NWT communities, especially Yellowknife, tend to attract special needs students, families with kids with special needs, and they seem to come here because we have facilities and services here that aren’t available in smaller communities. I’d like to know from the Minister how the department’s inclusive schooling funding formula recognizes the extra financial burden that is borne by magnet community schools.

Mr. Chair, thanks to the Minister. That’s good to hear. Could I know how much is earmarked for the Mine Training Society in this next budget year and can I be pointed to which line item it’s under? Thank you.

Mr. Chair, I have another question with regard to these heritage funds and the culture funds. They are on pages 19 and 20. I would like to know from the Minister how these funds are administered. Are they called cultural funds? If they are just cultural funds, are they administered through the department or is there a group somewhat like the Arts Council that administers the funds and doles them out? Thank you.

Thank you to Mr. Devitt for that information. Just one last question. This is almost $150 million that we are allocating to our education authorities. We turn this money over to them, and I think the Minister’s referenced it a bit previously, but what do we ask of the authorities to have them justify to the department that they’re spending the money the way we think they should be spending it?

This means the department has to work with those education councils, authorities and boards to come up with a funding formula that ensures success for NWT students. I have the following question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment: Will you revise our approach to inclusive schooling to ensure all of our students can achieve success?

To the Minister, if some of this staffing is being paid for by CanNor money, what happens in two or three years’ time when the CanNor money is gone? Will we still have adult literacy staffing in our learning centres in our communities? Thank you.