Jane Weyallon Armstrong

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Delivering Equitable Education Services to Small Communities in the Northwest Territories.

In response to the Office of the Auditor General 2020 report on Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment committed to actions toward improving student outcomes in the NWT. It has been two years since ECE responded to the auditor general's recommendations and committed to take action to support schools in small communities and ensure students in the territory have an equitable learning experience. I...

Thank you. Can the Minister commit to looking at all potential actions, including a potential shortterm reduction in gas taxes, to offset the impact of global price increases when carrying out the next gas price adjustment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, previously I spoke in this House on inflation and the rising cost of living in the Tlicho region. The increasing cost of fuel is part of the problem.

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month the government announced significant increases to the fuel resupply program prices in ten communities. Three communities in the Tlicho region will be affected by this increase. Mr. Speaker, this upcoming resupply season, Gameti, Wekweeti, and Whati, will see an average increase of 44 cents per litre, or 28 percent increase for heating fuel; 45 cents per litre, or 25 percent...

For.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I do feel the same, and I do support the motion as well. And I know that it is about time, Mr. Speaker, that we start paying attention to small communities, give them some recognition that they do lack lot of services, especially in health care. It needs attention. It needs to be improved.

We have some communities with no nurses or some do not have any health centre. So that needs to be so we need to recognize those communities as well. There are people living in those communities. And people that are living in the communities are mostly Indigenous. So that's what...

Thank you. Will the Minister commit to look in to further subsidies to stabilize the rising costs of living in small communities or programs to ensure people can get out on the land? Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 2nd, 2022, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes that this Legislative Assembly calls upon Housing NWT to increase efforts to transfer ownership of Housing NWT units to longterm tenants who have lived in their existing units for 20 years or more and are willing to assume ownership of their family home for a nominal fee.

And further that Housing NWT will work with municipal and Indigenous governments to ensure land leases or fee simple titles for their units remains...

Thank you. This is one of the example that, you know, I said I had six examples so I'll add one more. We still have time.

Has ECE advanced the piloting of a support network that meets the need of students, educators, and principals, is centered on Indigenous view, and when is the pilot completed?

This is a question for Education. Will the Minister commit to reviewing how it allocates funding to small communities particularly to see if they are adequately funded and resourced? Thank you.