Bob Bromley

Thanks to the Minister’s comments. I’d say that’s being a responsible partner, being willing to discuss that idea. There are a number of strategies out there, as the Minister knows, that are very successful and others that are not. We’d prefer to be in the former category. We know this strategy needs to be not only an action plan for integrated cross-government action to reduce the alarming poverty and growing inequity in NWT society. It also needs to fully involve Aboriginal government partners and the business community. I know the Minister has a particular interest there. The need to raise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are directed to the Minister for the social envelope committee, Mr. Abernethy. Late last year a draft Anti-Poverty Strategy was released. There has been review and comment on that document from organizations, and I understand public feedback was formally collected through a survey, some focus groups and even street interviews. Could the Minister update us on the current status of the Anti-Poverty Strategy, and when we can expect to see a new draft and when the completed strategy will be coming to this House?

I appreciate those comments. I’m glad to hear about the accountability framework that’s going to be in place. Let’s see, I did ask for one thing that I didn’t get and I can’t remember now what it was. Is there a matching requirement for the dollars? That’s the last one. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to follow up a little bit, significant dollars were committed to early childhood community outreach in response to the priorities raised in the House. I’m wondering if we can get some kind of report as to how those dollars have been spent. Will they be fully expended this fiscal year and fully renewed for the next in this budget? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to follow up a little bit on the adult learning and basic education programs, and I have got some information from the Minister recently which I appreciated. Can the Minister summarize what the plans are for this year with the CanNor dollars? Is that a matching funding? Is that something we match or are we able to use those dollars exclusively on their own for this ALBE initiative?

Thanks to the Minister for that breakdown. I have some of that information. What I would be interested in, in particular, is how the expenditures have varied from what was planned at the beginning of the fiscal year, so I would appreciate that. I know the Minister made a commitment to have a fully qualified – which I assume means meeting the federal standards – early childhood worker employed at each of the two child and family resource centres. Could I just confirm that those fully qualified people are employed in those programs as per that commitment?

Thanks to the Minister. I wonder if the Minister would commit, just so we know what we’re talking about, if the Minister would commit to developing a briefing note, an information package on what we’re talking about here. If we were to upgrade all of our early childhood workers and their salaries, what would be the cost, in terms of the salaries, salary difference across the government for early childhood workers, just so we know what we’re dealing with and if we need to plan for it. I think that’s a good starting point. That would be great.

I think I’m understanding the system now. I don’t have the expertise to criticize or critique it. I guess I would ask if that is the most efficient, having TSC look after our GNWT throughout our communities, and now slowly adding all the health authorities, but having our education authorities contract their own separate maintenance system. Is there an opportunity for an efficiency there, or is that something the Minister would look at?

That’s all I was looking for, that we are looking into that seriously, so thank you for that.

Early Childhood Development Program, I see, is $7.7 million. Could we get a brief outline of how those dollars will be allocated and, if it’s possible, a comparison to the current fiscal year? That’s the $7.719 million under program delivery details and there were categories such as family centres and Aurora College training programs and so on that were used in the current fiscal year.