Inuvik Boot Lake

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Currently, the department has developed a handbook for all DEAs and DECs to help them understand what their roles and responsibilities are with all aspects of education, including creating that safe environment for students as well as teachers in the school community to participate in. We've also developed resources supports that are online, free training, and we've also worked to ensure that DEAs and DECs have the supports in place for when the regulations comes into effect September 1, 2016. We're also providing orientation workshops for all newly elected members within the DEA and DECs to...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and before I begin, I would just like to acknowledge all Members for wearing their boutonnieres today in support of standing up against bullying. The regulations were worked on when the legislation was first introduced into the House during the 17th Assembly. These regulations will take effect on September 1, 2016, and a lot of consultation was held with DEAs, DECs, as well as superintendents and teachers, as well as students throughout the Northwest Territories to ensure that we got the regulations right when we developed these school codes of conduct. We also based it...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled “Aurora College Annual Reports, 2014-2015.”

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Earlier today in the speech that I gave in the Great Hall, we do a contest, a Stand Up and Stop Bullying campaign where we recognize students who have developed some visuals. We also have visuals in the school, in the public. We have a website that has, I believe, over 3,000 likes on it, as well as a Facebook page. The website is stopbullyingNWT.ca. We are taking a multi-pronged approach at this. Schools are also open to do their own awareness campaign to stop bullying. In the schools that I have been in, I have seen the posters in the hallways and in the classrooms as well.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 5)

Early childhood development is a priority of this government. It became a priority of the 17th Legislative Assembly. Anything that we can do to ensure that our staff and our children have the opportunity to develop in the best way they can. We are willing to work in those areas. I can't commit to a timeframe at this time.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

The government is committed. We are a partner on the regional training committees that have a wide range of partners and key stakeholders that work with other GNWT departments, the Aurora College, divisional education committees, Aboriginal governments, business development corporations. So yes, we are committed because we do sit on these regional training partnerships, and almost every region in the Northwest Territories does have these regional training partnership committees, and we are still committed to working with them to address some of the issues that the Member has brought up.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

As leaders for the Northwest Territories, leaders in our communities, and Members who make decisions for people throughout the Northwest Territories, you heard earlier of some of the social implications that we see in our small communities. I would be more than happy to work with Members to have all Members participate in this residential school training.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member's statement that the Member brought forward on residential school training. As residential schools have impacted people in every community in the Northwest Territories, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission brought these issues forward to all Canadians, as well as to people of the Northwest Territories. Mandatory training has been brought forward in a variety of ways. We have developed, in partnership with Nunavut, a residential school curriculum through our Northern Studies program. We have also introduced mandatory training to all...

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

At the current time, we don't have a concentrated effort where some of the lowest employment rates are. We do have some opportunities coming up with the possibility of some big infrastructure projects that this government might approve, and based on where those projects might be, we can focus on those areas, as well as support all regions in getting employment rates higher.

Debates of , 18th Assembly, 2nd Session (day 4)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member knows, this is my second term of the Legislative Assembly, and on a yearly basis we do review those unemployment rates. As I was answering questions earlier in the House, we are taking actions to address some of these unemployment rates throughout the Northwest Territories, in small communities, regional centres, and here in Yellowknife as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.