Alfred Moses

I’d like to ask the Minister, in developing this formula funding for the education authorities, were the actuals in the budgets of our schools and our authorities taken into consideration when we were developing this formula funding so that the schools actually get funding that will offset what they are spending each year?

Have the actuals been taken into consideration when we’re developing this formula funding?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Seeing as how we just did an induction into the Education Hall of Fame, I am going to have some questions today for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in regards to some of the Education Renewal and Innovation Strategy that his department has undertaken over the last few months.

Mainly in terms of the funding formula, I know there were discussions about how we fund our education authorities and I would like to ask the Minister, at what stage are we in finalizing and working on this new funding formula on how we finance our education authorities? Thank you...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had the opportunity earlier today to participate in the Education Hall of Fame inductees ceremony here at the Great Hall. I’d just like to acknowledge and recognize the nine recipients this year, or the nine inductees I should say, but also congratulate anyone who got nominated for this very prestigious, significant recognition.

I did have an opportunity, as I mentioned, to speak with Marja and I asked her if she would like me to say anything on her behalf and if there was any recognition that she would like to give to other people who made her who she is and helped...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know, as I mentioned and I’ve said in the House before, that the cost of travel and the cost of doing business in the Beaufort-Delta is a lot higher than it is in other regions across the Northwest Territories mainly because of the high costs of travelling between some of the coastal communities and the community of Inuvik, and also the high costs of food. I know in our Education Renewal and Innovation Strategy that we’re developing, we’re putting new food and breakfast programs into place and whether those things are all taken into consideration with the high costs...

I am glad to hear that the Minister has mentioned that over the last 25 years we have been funding our schools and education authorities across the Northwest Territories the same way we have for 25 years and we’re actually making changes now.

Can I ask the Minister, are we going to be seeing increases in some of the funding that we are giving to the schools and the authorities, and where are we going to see the most significant increases? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee does have some concerns about the funding model under this new approach with the delivery of Aboriginal languages revitalization. I think the committee pretty well agrees that it is a good idea to have our Aboriginal communities and our experts try to revitalize language with their own community plans. In terms of accountability, particularly in the event that goals established by the language communities are not met with the funding that’s provided is a concern to community members and that possibly dollars not be, I guess, distributed to the best cause to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Everybody knows the Blueberry Patch was used for family housing units for the Aurora College.

Has the Minister been speaking with the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment on creating family units to replace these ones being demolished? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I also understand that the Housing Corp will be taking over the responsibility for the land that the Blueberry Patch currently sits on. Has the Minister’s department decided or proposed what to build on that land?

As I mentioned, housing is a concern across all communities across the Northwest Territories, and if we are going to decentralize and start creating jobs and oil and gas kicks back up, we need some houses for residents and people who move up there.

I would like to ask the Minister what he is proposing to put on that land once the Blueberry Patch is demolished. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the Skills for Success Initiative whose focus is to improve employment success for NWT residents, close skill gaps for in-demand jobs and respond to employer needs. This initiative is driven by labour market evidence, best practice research and information, and stakeholder input and feedback. Just with that last little statement there, that leads to this last couple days where there is actually a symposium going on as we speak.

We have territorial, Aboriginal and municipal governments, education and training partners, industry, business, NGOs...

I move that this committee recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment establish an accountability framework for the funding provided to Aboriginal language communities under the “new approach” and provide the standing committee with progress reports and a copy of the framework when completed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.