Wendy Bisaro

Another question on the next line talks about schools and I note that schools funding is going down about $2 million. It’s been said that that is due to enrolments. Could I get an indication of how much our enrolments have reduced? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be short. I want to thank the Premier for his commitment. Again, my tendency is to go towards a definite time. I look forward to the Premier coming to us and then asking for the advice of Members, but when would that be?

Thank you to the Premier for his answer. He mentioned that the government will start a dialogue with these parties. It’s imperative that we have the involvement of parties outside the GNWT. We’re not going to get anywhere without their participation. I know it’s really early within this process, but I wonder if he could give us some idea of how he’s going to involve NGOs and the other organizations that are part of the group that want to develop an anti-poverty strategy.

We need to take a serious look at how poverty impacts our Territory, our government and our people. It’s time for us to take some real action. Minister Dent was correct in one thing in 2007: our governments, agencies and communities need to work together. And as my colleague Mr. Jacobson likes to say, let’s get ‘er done. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that Members on this side of the House have said that they don’t want to lose this money and I, at the risk of offending anybody, and this is not my intention, but there’s certainly schools in Yellowknife that have the same difficulties that the schools in the communities do and have students who need the breakfast money or whatever.

My concern with this particular pot of money, our understanding was that it was going to be used for a study and I appreciate the department’s reaction to the Social Programs committee’s advice and comments and that it has now...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks to both these gentlemen for the answer. I appreciate that this is the way that it is, but I think it’s probably creating stresses and strains on education authorities if they’re getting less funding, even though it may not be a huge amount of money, but they’re getting less funding, but at the same time they’re getting more and more students who require individual education assistance and one-on-one situations with particular students. So I’d like to ask the Minister whether or not this problem has been identified for him by the chairs of the education...

Mr. Chairman, it is good to hear that this is going to be ongoing. I am presuming that it will be added to base funding for the fiscal year 2011-12. Also, in terms of child care, and I think that the Minister referenced that there is going to be some research done, some investigation done in terms of what child care facilities do exist in the NWT, and I think it is a very valuable research. I believe that we need to be putting an awful lot more money into child care spaces, assisting child care with both physical facilities, capital costs and with providing more daycare spaces for people who...

One other question. The Minister mentioned earlier today when he was talking about Ecole Allain St-Cyr, I think, that there is a 10-year education plan that is underway that, I think, is being developed now at this point in time. I wondered if he could advise if that is the case and if he could advise when this 10-year education plan or facilities education plan will be available and complete. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question has to do with board reform. I mentioned it in my remarks earlier. I’d like to know from the Minister whether or not the department has any plans over this next fiscal year to make any changes in terms of the makeup of education authorities or if there are any plans, if it’s not changed in the makeup, what sorts of things are in the works that the department is planning to work on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 11, 2010, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you.