Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today is National Girls and Women in Sports Day. When girls play sports, they're not just chasing a ball, crossing a finish line, or scoring a goal. They're chasing dreams, climbing over barriers, and scoring victories that last a lifetime. Sports teach courage, discipline, and the unshakable belief that no challenge is too big. These lessons are life changing. Every sprint, every jump, every game builds confidence, grit, and leadership, qualities that carry them far beyond the field and take a lifelong outlook from "I can't" to "I can" and "I will."

Studies...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the answer is yes, but it's certainly the type of information that's gathered varies by both age and purpose and we don't have a single territory-wide number. It's worth noting that the territory's currently in the process of transitioning to the BC curriculum, and there will be consistent literacy and numeracy testing and assessment -- graduation assessments that are done as part of that. So those will be done in grade 4, grade 7, grade 10, and grade 12. And because of the change in regulations that affords for more information sharing to the department, we'll be in...

I had my arm way up high, but I need to hold it higher, Mr. Speaker. Thank you so much.

In addition, we have a great number of wonderful pages in the room today, including some from Kam Lake. We've got Mika Kotchilia, Avyannah Nataway as well Mia Dyson joining us from Kam Lake. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a lot of the funding -- well, a portion of the funding goes to classroom assistants, and those classroom assistants could be supporting one student, they could be supporting multiple students. Funding also goes for speech-language pathologists. It goes to occupational therapy. The funding is also used for things like pontoon boats or skidoos in order to do on the land activities as well. And so one could say that this would have an impact directly or indirectly to every student across Canada. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, the Member is right, there was a news release that went out yesterday from Yellowknife Catholic schools expressing future risk. Mr. Speaker, we are waiting to hear from the federal government as to what changes they're making to the current program, and we expect to hear more on budget day. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, within our system, the department of education largely connects with the teachers themselves and the educators and makes sure that they're providing them with the support that they need. This can be either through meetings that I have with chairs and superintendents, along with officials from the department in our ed leaders’ meetings that happen multiple times a year. This happens also when I sit down with the NWTTA multiple times a year. But there's also professional development that happens from the department to the teachers, and a lot of that...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while absolutely we respect section 23 rights of Canadians and uphold those rights as a territory, we've also heard frequently in this House this week about the need to make sure that we're also balancing the needs of all kids in all schools across this territory. So one of my responsibilities is to ensure that that need is balanced across the territory and that we are able to maintain and invest in the assets that we do have. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am also a product of the French immersion system and believe that representation certainly matters. And that said, Mr. Speaker, I am currently working on some regulation changes alongside the CSFTNO here in the Northwest Territories. Specifically, our regulations speak to the fact that currently French-first language schools are found in Yellowknife and Hay River, and so we are removing the designation of those two communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, all eligible applicants from both February and July 2025 intakes were accepted and are currently being processed. Anybody who was not an eligible applicant was immediately notified that their application was ineligible, so they will need to reapply for the third intake of 2025. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to recognize today our interpreters. My favourite day of session is the day that you and I get to have lunch with all of them. I appreciate the time they spend with each of us and the extra time they spend with me helping me on my statements. I'd also like to do a special recognition of Susie Napayk-Short, our Inuktitut translator. It is her birthday today, Mr. Speaker.