Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. I guess I am just a little concerned that we are not being proactive in looking at this at the very beginning. I understand that the department is trying to get these fees implemented, but there are these hidden costs that people are not aware of and that should be looked at. Is the department willing to look at capping this administration fee at 4 per cent, which is a standard administration fee? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his commitment to get back. We are hearing different numbers out there, so it would be really nice to see what the percentage of this is. Mr. Speaker, with a percentage of this money going to the airlines, which we have heard in the news, how long did the department know about this, and why wasn't this part of the information package out to the public as they were promoting this new initiative?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. About two years ago a new teacher arrived in Fort Liard and noticed the youth lived, ate, and breathed soccer. As she got to know the students and the community, she realized one of the students had the opportunity to go to England for a soccer camp and a tour the previous summer. This seemed to be the talk of the community and the school.

Mr. Speaker, this led to the idea of a school trip outside of Canada. After checking with her fellow teachers, the DEA, the DDEC, community members, and the older students, it was decided that this would be a great idea. After a lot of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that commitment; it helps. I'm just trying to understand where it is, and I greatly appreciate the Minister is going to make that commitment; it will help maybe eliminate some of the questions in the future. So thanks, Mr. Chair; I'm done with this page. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the assistant deputy minister for his answer. I guess, again, I see two areas of bank services, other program costs: can the Minister explain what these other program costs are? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

No, thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the deputy minister for that answer. Could the Minister advise us if these two positions were vacant or if they were reduced through a package at the end of the day? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the deputy minister for his answer. Just to follow up on honourable Member from Sahtu, when we talk about other program costs, is there a rationale for it being split up, or why couldn’t we just put it into the areas that it should have been put in? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. I think we are looking at the bigger centres, and that is why we are seeing a larger increase. With the implementation of junior kindergarten from the start, my understanding is the department required the divisional education councils to provide $2 million of the startup cost. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if this $2 million is on top of the $1.4 million? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for that answer, but he has to also realize that I speak for the territories. I sit as the chair of social development, and I am hearing these concerns across the territories. I have to agree with the Minister. It is working well in my region, and I am not saying that. I am saying, across the territories, there are concerns, and this is why we are asking these questions.

Mr. Speaker, ECE has indicated that it will take $5.1 million to implement junior kindergarten in all of the remaining NWT classrooms, not including some onetime spending to make classrooms physically ready...