Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, this month I had the opportunity to sit down with the NWT Early Childhood Association. We talked about some different ideas like this to increase flexibility and also make sure that we're working together to best serve residents of the Northwest Territories. I agreed with them that I would work with them on some of these ideas. Age range is one of those ideas, and the department continues to work on that, and I'm happy -- sorry, I'm speaking way too fast because I'm excited about this one. So yes, very happy to work with the Member and continue working...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my left I have Pamela Strand, deputy minister of industry, tourism and investment. And on my right, I have Nina Salvador who is the director of finance and administration for industry, tourism and investment. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we -- sorry, Alberta calls those voluntary service fees, and we have gone back to our daycare and day home providers and said that they're able to do the same thing that Alberta is doing. I've also expressed this to the NWT Early Childhood Association as well. There are some rules around that in that the fees do need to be voluntary and that they can't hold back other kids within the system if their families are unable to meet the requirements or the asks of the voluntary fee. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've made a commitment to go back to the department and gather additional information for both the Member for Range Lake and the Member for Yellowknife Centre, and I'm also happy to share that information with the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I'm saying is currently we have our school funding formula which turns around and funds education bodies. There is not a mechanism that these types of tests are currently supported through the department of education. One of the things that many education bodies do is look at their student body and find ways to support multiple students through the funding that they do have afforded to them. So any type of specialty type test that is done through the education body themselves would have to be done in discussion with the education body. I know that they...

Yes, Mr. Speaker, there was almost a 20 percent increase in applications this year. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we are in the process right now of finalizing a What We Heard report from the inclusive schooling review. That report will be out by the end of this calendar year and by the beginning of next calendar year, we will have a response to the recommendations from the government that I'm very happy to share and want to ensure that it's publicly accessible. And I fully intend from that and from the recommendations that come from that to have funding requests that I will in turn be working with my colleagues on. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, absolutely BC uses a different model than Alberta. So they have the foundational skills assessment, which is done in grades 4 and 7, and the graduation literacy and numeracy assessments done in grades 10 and 12. These assessment tools focus on literacy and numeracy rather than being subject-specific which means it takes out the act of memorization and really celebrates the act of learning in this process.

In the Northwest Territories, Alberta's grades 6 and 9 tests ended in 2023. Alberta diploma exams will be phased out by 2026. And BC's...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when we came in and started this Assembly, we actually talked as a group a lot about strategies. We talked about the multitude of strategies that we often find in government departments across the country that sometimes act as doorstops instead of guiding documents. And what we decided as a group is we wanted to see actionable, tangible items. We wanted to see programs being delivered rather than strategies being written. And so that has been my direction as Minister, that I want to see action in communities. And one of the things that we're...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm always happy to work with Members and do my best to keep them informed. We might have to bring in some kind of alternative solutions for park users in the meantime but, luckily, it's not the only washroom facility in the park either. But certainly happy to make sure that I'm passing information as best as possible on to the Member. Thank you.