Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, what heritage funding exists to preserve unique heritage sites in our communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and perhaps I'll clarify. Instead of using the local detachment resources, which would be the Yellowknife detachment, the territorial level resources for this function, so pulling officers who are not involved in patrol duty in our downtown core. That's really the crux of the issue, and that's what I'd like the Minister to consider. Thank you.

When was the last time the Minister reviewed that legislation? Because my understanding of it is that sheriffs are able to do this function; it is allowed by legislation; it's just not being done.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I do agree with the Minister's response. This is important for so many reasons, but when we are trying to draw more attention to the North, having a place to showcase our heritage, our culture, and the unique contributions our people have made, in some cases since time immemorial, is exactly why we need to prioritize this. This action plan that's rolling out, will the government also be consulting with the Mine Heritage Society and other cultural heritage societies like that across the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

I appreciate the Minister's commitment to do that. Is the Minister aware of how we prioritize heritage? His department has a number of very high priorities, especially in lines with this mandate and creating employment and supporting education. Where does heritage fit into this, and is the department adequately supporting the preservation of culture and history in all of our communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I left my house today, I looked up and for the first time in my life I saw a new horizon in the skies of Yellowknife. The Robertson headframe, the longstanding and iconic landmark of this community is no more. Now, like the 11 former headframes at one time surrounded the city is merely history. This is a bittersweet moment in the history of the NWT, a sentiment I have seen shared by many Northerners over the last few days. Though it is no longer standing, the legacy of the headframe and the strong community the mining industry built here in Yellowknife...

I appreciate the Minister will do some research into this. I think the bigger issue here is with the roll out of junior kindergarten, it seems that many of the school boards, both in YK1 or YCS, are feeling additional pressures, and I would like to ask the Minister if the department will be providing additional resources above and beyond what they currently receive to accommodate these new students and these new resource pressures on our schools.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The element of surprise is well and true today. Mr. Speaker, recently the Yellowknife Catholic School Board has gone to the press and expressed their frustrations with additional pressures being placed on the district schools by the implementation of the Junior Kindergarten Program, and in the words of the school board, “we want to make sure that we're providing the best and the best school for our kids.” Right now they're looking to appropriate some portables from the YK1 School District. Has the Minister had a conversation about these resource needs and how does he...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to move that we report progress.

Nothing further, thank you.