Bob Bromley

For now I support going forward with the ERI, using existing resources. In order to achieve any success, an absolute imperative is to steadily and intelligently build our early childhood development initiative to a seven to 10 million dollar program annually. Assuming we can make measurable ECD progress in five years, then and only then would be the time, based on sound evaluation of progress, to consider supplementing resources to the ERI.

Let’s get it right from the very start. Mahsi.

Madam Chair, I move that consideration of Tabled Document 1-17(5), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditure), No. 1, 2014-2015, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 1-17(5) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Mahsi, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

When assessing a client’s need for income support, what are the main factors (rent, income from various sources, number of children, et cetera) that are considered? In other words, how is the amount of income support determined?

When assessing a client’s need for income support, what is the level of monthly income below which a client is considered in need of income support for:

an 18-year-old living on their now in Yellowknife?

a single parent with three children in Yellowknife?

an unemployed couple...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ECE is the lead on our early childhood development. I’m pleased to see the progressive approach of the Education Renewal Initiative in addressing new ways of learning in today’s world. However, with so many children entering the system with a reduced capacity to learn, it is clear that we must have success with early, zero to three, childhood development first.

Does the Minister agree with this analysis and will he commit to making a vigorous NWT-wide Early Childhood Development Program the number one priority of this initiative? Mahsi.

Sad news indeed. I know we want to work on those statistics and improve them. The latest research shows that development of the brain and its neural pathways are largely established by age three.

How does this scientific evidence compare with the Minister of Education’s understanding of how a child’s mind develops and how does he think this evidence should change the way we educate our children or assist them in development? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Shane Clark. I can’t really see if he’s still up there, but Shane is the proud father, I know, of a couple of our Pages here, twins Sophie and Grace Clark. Welcome to the House.

I’d like to also, at this time, express appreciation to our Pages once again for all the service they’ve provided during this very busy session. Our long-suffering Pages in particular from Weledeh, besides Sophie and Grace we’ve also had Shiri MacPherson, who is the daughter of our Law Clerk, Sheila MacPherson. We’ve also had Niva Stephenson and Jacob Schubert. Again, thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I began reviewing the Education Renewal Initiative, anticipating a statement detailing its failures. Wrong. In fact, I was impressed and offer my compliments to the people who have worked so hard to develop it and bring it forward.

The plan draws on research which reveals the need to teach, or a competency-based model that works better with how a child’s brain actually functions, with more integration of learning across subjects. Self-worth is recognized as essential for success in school for everyone.

More than knowledge and skills, learning involves the integration of...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Briefly, yes, I agree that this motion is premature. I agree that we do need to do something with the process if we can find something will really move it forward and be supported widely. Really, making it binding, making the Electoral Boundaries Commission report binding depends on us giving them good instructions from the start, and based on my modicum of experience to date compared to Mr. Miltenberger, I don’t think we’re there yet where we can reliably know that we are always going to give good instructions.

I am comfortable that the courts are available as backup if...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple quick comments and I appreciated the discussions and many of the viewpoints raised and I agree with many, if not most.

I’d say – without detracting from Mrs. Groenewegen’s point about the role of MLAs, which I agreed with – nobody wants more MLAs and a more expensive government if we can avoid it. That’s the key part. Yet, given our current process, just about the only way we can achieve fair representation is by adding MLAs.

I think Mr. Miltenberger laid out a very key point, we haven’t asked how much government do we need. Many of us have asked that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m pleased to participate in this debate today and discussion of the final report. I’d like to thank the Electoral Boundaries Commission for their work. Trying to penetrate this quagmire, it is certainly never an easy job or an easy process, but I think we do recognize that and try and provide some helpful guidelines, specifically the plus or minus 25 percent goal for fair representation; that is every riding should be within 25 percent of the mean population, the average number of people per riding in order to be considered fair representation, and that we should give...