Wendy Bisaro

Thanks to the Minister for the information. I think I and the public will wait with bated breath to see this new information and see how it’s presumably going to assist the boards. I still have difficulty believing when you take money away that it’s going to make things better.

The second question from a constituent: How can the current level or quality of education be maintained with the slashing of funding to the school boards? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Summary of observations

Child protection workers, who are employed by the regional authorities, are the face of child and family services. They deliver services on behalf of the director. The Auditor General examined whether the regional authorities are meeting key requirements under the act and the manual. Thirteen key requirements were examined in four areas: investigations (Exhibit 3); addressing confirmed needs for child protection (Exhibit 4); providing services to children in care of the director (Exhibit 5); and screening and reviewing foster care homes (Exhibit 6)...

One last quote: “To take away the surplus, which, by the way, comes from my tax dollars, is nothing more than blatant theft of the monies that pay for my children’s education and special needs children who have to be accommodated by the school districts by order of Education, Culture and Employment. So not only am I displeased but also very disappointed that our elected officials would attempt to ram this scheme down taxpayers’ throats, most of whom are in the major centres and are the ones being robbed.”

The implementation of junior kindergarten at the expense of the other school grades...

I move that consideration of Tabled Document 87-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2014-2015, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 87-17(5) be reported and recommended as further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill.

Okay. I guess I’ll have to wait and see what the road is like after chipseal is done. I hope it can all be done with no more than $1.2 million.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I originally asked what this $1.2 million was for and did it include any work on the roadbed which, to me, seems like it needs a little bit of work done. Apart from chipseal, is there any plan to do any kind of grading and/or upgrading of the roadbed itself?

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I have a question under highways with regard to the Ingraham Trail realignment, a question in terms of where that project is at. I think the description of this project talks about lighting needing to be done and some what I consider reasonably minor bits and pieces that were unable to be done before the snow fell in the fall. I haven’t driven the road often, but I’ve driven it once and it suggests to me that it still needs a fair bit of work on the roadbed, not just on lighting and other bits and pieces to be added. So I’d like to know what this almost $1.2 million is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a group of e-mails and letters from constituents concerning funding for Yellowknife school boards.

I didn’t hear much reference to how this is maintaining the quality or the level of education that we currently have when the boards are losing money.

I’d like to also ask the Minister: It hasn’t been stated outright, but certainly in recent actions and statements by both the department and the Minister, there’s been an indication that there’s a new policy which is being instituted by the GNWT for boards. That seems to be, from what I’m gathering and what I’m hearing, is use your surpluses to fund your budget shortfalls. You’ve got surpluses and we want you to use them up, we’re not giving you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister for Education, Culture and Employment and I’d like to begin by asking the Minister one or two of the questions which I mentioned in my statement, which have been provided to me by constituents and are questions which I would love to get an answer for as well.

The first one from a constituent: How can the Minister add one whole cohort of students – and by that I’m referencing junior kindergarten – and reduce funding to the boards and at the same time still maintain that the boards are able – the Minister is saying that the...