Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current GNWT directive on inclusive schooling states the following: “Inclusive schooling is intended to ensure equal access for all students to educational programs offered in regular classroom settings.” This very statement is symbolic of what is wrong with how inclusive schooling in the NWT is currently being funded and addressed at the department level.

It is time to revisit and redefine the directive and the funding formula for inclusive schooling. We must consider this, also from the ECE directive, “What inclusion is not:

It does not mean having all students...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to ask a couple of questions about ALBE as well. I noted from the Minister’s opening remarks that he said the department will action recommendations from the Adult Literacy and Basic Education review. I wondered if the Minister could elaborate on what recommendations will be acted on and what programs will be changed. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, okay, I think it’s as clear as mud. So really the $1.4 million more in this year’s estimates is a bit of smoke and mirrors. Really the addition is whatever number Mr. Devitt just gave me, which has gone out of my head already.

I’d like to know from the Minister, with looking at this $1.4 million that the Minister says is like new money, how are we using the $1 million that has been carried over from the 2012-13 revised mains. The money that the committee added to the budget last year, the $1 million or $1.25 million, how is that being used in this budget? Is it being used in the same...

Mr. Chair, I wanted to ask a question, as well, in this section under the Student Financial Assistance funding. I note that it goes up almost $2 million between the revised estimates and the main estimates for this year. I think the House approved an increase in funding for Student Financial Assistance because we’re getting more students asking for assistance, which is a good thing. It means more kids are going off to post-secondary. Does this increase in funding allow for students taking upgrades to get student financial assistance from the department? Thank you.

Thanks. I’ll take that as a no, that we’re not going to be consulted prior to the development of the report.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I have just a couple of questions. I wanted to follow up on Mr. Bromley’s question about the investigation or the report that is being formulated on the reorg of the college. The answer that I heard was that there’s going to be a report at the end of March. I wondered whether or not there is any intention to involve the Standing Committee on Social Programs or other Regular Members in the consultation for the development of this report. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for the commitment. So what I would like to see, and I don’t know about other committee members, but I would like to see a list from the department which tells me which school is number one and which school is number 47 on the list of things to be done.

I’d like to move on. The Minister mentioned in his opening remarks that there’s a fairly comprehensive review of the education system that is… I can’t remember whether it’s future or whether it’s ongoing right now. I’d like to know from the Minister whether this review has started and, if so, that’s fine. Two things I’d...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a few questions here. As I read the description for this section it talks about policy, legislative initiatives, strategic business and capital planning. I wanted to ask some questions of the Minister with regard to capital planning.

I get the impression that the department doesn’t really have a capital plan. I’d like to hear from the Minister, if there is one, is there a system the department uses to determine what schools are in need of either renovations or replacement. Thank you.

I thank the Minister for that information. I’ll just have one last question. I would like to know from the Minister if he can provide me with a list of schools for the next five years that have renovations or upgrades or replacements planned.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s not often that I get really angry about a response from this government. Today I am riled.

Last fall I tried to get some information from the Minister of Education’s office about planned renovations or upgrades to two Yellowknife schools. It took some doing, but I did get some information. It didn’t suggest much capital planning on the part of the department, though, so six weeks ago I submitted a written question to Minister Lafferty in the House. I asked for the plans that Education, Culture and Employment has for renovations or new construction for our 47 NWT...