Alfred Moses

In terms of these regional offices and the management and administrative support, do they have a database of individuals or beneficiaries who have training or a certain type of training, so that when our industry is looking for a particular job they can go to the database and say we have X, Y and Z employees that have this type of training, let’s contact them and get them over to put in an application to get the training? Do these regional offices have a database for our skilled workforce?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member’s statement with regard to the Mental Health Act, my questions today are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. The interpretation of a psychiatrist under this act means a medical practitioner who holds a specialist certificate in psychiatry issued by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or an equivalent qualification acceptable by the Minister. I’d like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services how many psychiatrists under this interpretation we have in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you. In light of some of the recent studies in regard to the skilled workforce and some industry not meeting the standards for not having a skilled workforce that are outlined in the socio-economic agreements, would the Minister, through the management and program support, look at seeking more funding to address this concern so that we get more of the skilled workforce for residents of the Northwest Territories to get trained so that they can actually enter into some of these jobs in the industry, but also be meeting some of the standards that we set out in these socio-economic...

Just for clarification, this contribution here is open for all organizations that provide healthy children initiatives in the communities, so I’m assuming with it capped at $2.1 million it’s pretty well on a first-come, first-served basis.

Just continuing on this page, in terms of the Aboriginal Languages Strategy, I want to say good job earlier on your Member’s statement. Very well done. I’d just like to ask the Minister where we are in revitalizing the Aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories, as well as an update of the iTunes project application and how that’s working out. Just two updates: one on where we are on the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Strategy and if there’s anything that has been put into action today, and then also maybe an update on how successful the iTunes application project that he initiated...

Mr. Devitt did speak on a few items that were taken into consideration when you come out to how we fund our education authorities. When he mentioned something like it varies on the size of the school and we get schools that are the same size in Paulatuk as you do get into maybe Kakisa or something, I’m thinking if that is put into the factor then they’re both going to get the same type of education when we know that we have longer winter months up in Paulatuk that might be more O and M class to run the school. Some things need to be taken into consideration.

Maybe if I can ask the Minister and...

Thank you. He got me excited there when he said he signed off a letter and just for the ‘13-14 year. I thought it was going to be longer years. That kind of just tells me kids going into Grade 10 this year. I mean, if we don’t continue it and we do split up those students that do need it from the three different levels that one teacher might have to teach in the classroom. If we get one student next year that’s taking advanced courses in Grade 10 and the program stops, because the Beaufort-Delta are actually utilizing this funding, then that means the teacher is going to have to go back to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Really quickly, you’ve heard a lot of really good comments on this side of the House, and I just want to let you know that I will be supporting this motion. Speaking for the harvesters of the Northwest Territories, especially those on the coastal communities that have to go out hunting and trapping to make a living, who don’t have regular jobs, the high cost of gas is really reflecting that. I just want to thank Mr. Menicoche and Mr. Hawkins for bringing this motion forward and I will be supporting it today.

We all know that there’s a high cost of living in the Northwest Territories, and the further you get up and the further the food has to travel to get to the communities, sometimes when the fruits and vegetables get there they’re already turning brown. This is a great opportunity for students to learn about agriculture, learn about growing their own food, create some type of mental wellness as well as create some active living.

Would the Minister be willing to look at putting this in part of some type of curriculum for the students, that it becomes part of practical work in one of the courses...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to my Member’s statement today, I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Under the declaration that was signed in 2010 on prevention and promotion by our Minister of Health, one of the guidelines is health promotion has many approaches that should be used. It talks about helping people learn and practice healthy ways of living.

Thinking outside the box, I want to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if there are any types of programs that he’d be looking at introducing into the school that deal with healthy eating...