Wendy Bisaro

Just one last comment. I guess, then, that the Minister would say that this approach, this process is successful and he expects that it will be further successful in this coming year. Is that correct?

Thanks to the Minister for that. That’s really encouraging. That’s an area that requires some activity and it’s great to see that the communities are taking an interest and are taking over the responsibility for that kind of housing. My concern is what there is going to be ongoing. If this is going to be one-time funding and there’s no funding in this next 2010-2011 budget for housing for staff, how does the Minister expect that this initiative will be kept alive and that we will be able to involve other communities beyond the 16 that are currently involved?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of questions here. I noted when we discussed the business plan in the fall that there was a deletion of the funding that was intended for housing for staff. I understand that it’s been moved to another department. I wonder if I can get confirmation of that. Does Housing have any idea of what this other department is going to do with that funding?

Thank you. I appreciate that the Minister has made a commitment to gather facts, but I think the problem is that he’s gathering facts based from a very subjective viewpoint. Each individual education authority, I believe, is being asked to provide this information and the point of YK1 is that we need to have an independent study, there needs to be an impartial gathering of the number of high needs students in each jurisdiction. So I guess with the suggestion from YK1 to do an impartial gathering of data to get at the actual facts, will the Minister consider doing that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Education. When we reviewed the Department of Education budget I asked a number of questions of the Minister and his officials with regard to inclusive schooling and how we fund inclusive schooling to our education authorities and I have a few more questions for him following up on my Member’s statement.

The Minister was presented with evidence from Yellowknife Education District No. 1 about a year ago, of a high number of severe special needs students within that district. I’d like to ask the Minister what his response...

Unfortunately, the Minister did not understand the nature of this situation. This is a member of a self-regulating professional body. It has nothing to do with the RCMP. This individual had a complaint laid against them. It was investigated by the NWT body. The individual feels that the whole process was unfair and that it wasn’t valid and that it should be reviewed. Again, what recourse exists for my constituent? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to recognize and congratulate a constituent of Frame Lake, Ms. Yvonne Quick, the 2010 recipient of the Yellowknife Heritage Award. Ms. Quick has been a tireless heritage volunteer for many years. She’s worked on 11 committees at least during her time in Yellowknife and she’s currently the coordinator for Arctic Ambassadors, the people who greet Yellowknife’s arriving visitors at the airport and elsewhere. The award will be presented to Ms. Quick at a ceremony this evening. Thank you.

First off, I would hope that next year I won’t see $2.4 million in an undescribed expense. Secondly, it seems a little strange to me that when we forgive a loan for our students it’s considered a bad debt. Is that the only way that we can account for it from an accounting perspective or is that simply the language that the department chooses to put on it? Thank you.

I don’t believe I heard a timeline in there. I wonder if I could get an approximation of... I understand that the review is being done for next year’s business planning process, but when might committee, for instance, see the results of the review and the recommendations in it?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours that the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.