Alfred Moses

The resources that are going to be used to encourage this is through the schools. We will talk with students in the schools, as well as our career development officers, our employment transition officers that go out into the communities and actually get this information to those that might be on income assistance or looking at a career moving forward, and most recently we also made an announcement and an improvement into our small community employment support program that does on-the-job training, so we will work with our Aboriginal groups. As you heard earlier, one of my colleagues mentioned...

Our nominee program here, in the Northwest Territories, has actually been increasing over the years, 25 per cent almost on a yearly basis. We exceeded our nominee program last year, and we are looking to exceed last year's nominee program this upcoming year. We will continue to promote nominee and immigration to the Northwest Territories. As for the lottery program and the way reunification happens through lotteries, I don't have that specific information for any families here, in the Northwest Territories. I will get that information from the department and get it back to the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to recognize eight individuals who have made a strong and lasting impression on northern education, and were inducted into the Northwest Territories Education Hall of Fame today: Annie Felix from Tuktoyaktuk, Teresa Jaffray from Fort Simpson, Merril Dean from Yellowknife, Al McDonald from Yellowknife, Denise Bowen from Yellowknife, Chuck Lirette from Hay River, Shane Brewster from Inuvik, and Dave Roebuck from Yellowknife.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank and recognize their families and their guests. Many have travelled to be here today for...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The process with junior kindergarten has been going on for over four years. We have 20 communities that offer great programs. We have seen some really good results and some really good successes in those communities, with an increased development in some of our students that are entering our education system. We have been meeting regularly with DECs as well as superintendents. I'm not sure if the Member is speaking on behalf of all the education authorities across the Northwest Territories, as he has stated, but we are seeing some really good headway in junior...

As I mentioned earlier, under the IRCC, it is a full responsibility of the federal government. I can't make decisions or go and tell federal government what to do in terms of immigration into the Northwest Territories, here. However, I can make a commitment to bring this concern and issue up to the federal officials. Also with the family members that the Member is talking about, I encourage them to come see our department officials and see how we can work out some type of arrangement or something that we can learn a little bit more about their case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do have a great nominee program here in the Northwest Territories. The waiting time is probably one of the best in all of Canada. However, with the family reunification that the Member is speaking about, that is solely the full responsibility of the federal government's Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. They have made some changes. However, the changes that they have made are outside of the NWT, our territorial nominee program, as well as our current agreement with Canada.

However, seeing as that is an important issue and we do want to reunite families...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following ten documents entitled "Beaufort-Delta Education Council Consolidated Annual Financial Report, June 30, 2016," "Commission scolaire francophone Territoires du Nord-Ouest Consolidated Financial Statements, June 30, 2016," "Detah District Education Authority Consolidated Financial Statements, June 30, 2016," "Consolidated Financial Statements of Dehcho Divisional Education Council, June 30, 2016," "K'alemi Dene School (Ndilo District Education Authority) Consolidated Financial Statements, June 30, 2016," "Consolidated Financial Statements of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That strategy is right now, I believe, going to committee if not already in committee's hands, but, as I mentioned, this is full responsibility of the federal department, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. I can't tell them what to do. We can advocate for them though, and we can bring these concerns up to our federal counterparts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we look at implementing the 12 to 1 ratio right now on junior kindergarten, that is increasing the amount of dollars that are already going to the schools at, I believe, about $1.5 million. The formula funding we will have to take back to the department and look at whether it is going to impact how we fund the, sorry, that is $1.8 million for the upcoming school year, and those numbers we can actually start to get as we start seeing enrollment rates coming through. We will definitely take it back to the departments and look at those. Thank you.

Thank you. Members did receive the most up-to-date, most current funding formulae that we have for how we fund our schools. We can take a look at the ones that pertain to junior kindergarten, and then look at adjusting those. Thank you.