Jay Macdonald

Thank you, Madam Chair. So as the Minister mentioned, there are a number of art specific funding programs that the department delivers through the culture and heritage division. Those programs include support for northern performers, arts organizations operating contributions, heritage centres contribution programming, and Indigenous cultural organization contributions. As well, there is the arts council and it has funding that is provided through the council, makes the decision with regional representation I should say, about which projects should be approved during two intakes each fiscal...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just believe those are year over year changes to that funding to actuals. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So as the Minister indicated, the Prince of Wales Centre has not received an increase of funding. But to maybe expand on that comment about the revenue study.

This is meant to be the final component of a more comprehensive planning study to look at the museum. The Member may recall that ECE embarked on with the assistance of Infrastructure and a contractor, an analysis of the mid life retrofit for the Prince of Wales, and the initial figures that came back were significant, 160 to $170 million required. We revised those numbers down to look at a more realistic...

Thank you, Madam Chair. So to specifically answer the Member's questions, the early learning and childcare funding and the Indigenous languages funding are distinct. So a licensed program offering childcare would not be accessing the types of programs and services offered for Indigenous languages. But with that being said, as the Minister mentioned, the existing early learning and childcare funding that the department has includes funding grants for cultural and language programming as well as other activities such as training. And there is what's known as an early learning framework which is...

Thank you, Madam Chair. To be honest, not a huge amount of interdepartmental work on that issue has occurred in the past but it is an area of opportunity.

One of the things that the Indigenous Languages and Education Secretariat has done of late is establish a new committee across government with all departments. So Indigenous language coordinators in each department now have a form to meet regularly with ILE staff, share information, provide feedback on initiatives, and to move the needle forward in terms of the ability of departments and agencies to provide services. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's always a bit difficult predicting when we can conclude formal negotiations with the federal government but we're actually optimistic that we'll be able to complete this fiscal year. And as the Minister I think mentioned when responding to a previous question, we're looking for a threeyear extension to the existing Indigenous languages agreement. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Luckily with the recent conclusion of collective bargaining with the Northwest Territories Teachers Association, so my what I think I believe the Minister is speaking about has been addressed. So, for example, there is a provision within the collective agreement for a language bonus for Indigenous language instructors. So that's been increased. I think it's a little over $6,000 per year now.

As well, in the table, the certification and the salary grid for teachers, the parties agreed to remove the initial step which was one year or less of experience. So Indigenous...

Thank you, Madam Chair. So the numbers for the heritage centres are.

In Fort Smith, at the Northern Anthropological and Cultural Society, 198,000;

In Norman Wells, at the Historical Society, it's 118,000;

At the Hay River Museum Society is 60,000;

The Yellowknife Historical Society is 60,000; and

The Fort Simpson Historical Society is 55,000.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In that case, that money is provided primarily for support for training of early childhood educators working within licensed programs. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. So the mentor apprentice program is in its second year of operation, which is still considered a pilot. So after one year, it was expanded based on feedback and a program evaluation that was conducted. So as I mentioned earlier, there are now six Indigenous governments and six languages being supported through that program. So there is an annual allocation right now of $300,000 for that program, and that program is an annual intake where ECE provides support for mentors and apprentices to come together. So those funding provides for training supports and information for...