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Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Tabled Document 75-16(5) has been tabled in this House;

AND WHEREAS the Response of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future” requires detailed consideration;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Tabled Document 75-16(50, Response of the Joint Review Panel for the Mackenzie Gas Project on the Federal and Territorial Governments’ Interim Response to “Foundation for a Sustainable Northern Future” be...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

Thank you to the Minister for those comments. I’m very pleased to hear that that review is underway.

I want to comment on the Minister noting that we have the highest number of aboriginal student graduates. I’m very happy to hear that and I support that, and I think that does say some good things about our system. However, if we’re graduating students who clearly don’t have the qualifications to go on to post-secondary education, what does that say about that statistic? We can’t hide in statistics and we can’t afford to do that. I would ask this Minister to please commit to lobbying the federal...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I want to follow up on my statement today.

I think the Minister recognizes that we’ve failed many of our Grade 12 graduates in the counselling we’ve provided. When I went to school -- some time ago, I acknowledge -- it was clear there was a matriculation Grade 12 diploma and a vocational and that led to a lot of clarity. Today that’s not true. We have a bolus of students, a bunch of students who are lost in Never-Never Land, needing to upgrade to 6actually pursue the post-secondary requirements...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

I guess to summarize, would that be a no, we are not providing any explanation or education on full-cost accounting?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

I appreciate that offer to work with communities to provide that data. Thank you. I’ll expect that soon.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

My understanding was that Municipal and Community Affairs worked closely with communities on infrastructure advising. Is this Minister saying that he does not know and cannot determine what quality of buildings are being put into our communities?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wanted to bring up something that I have brought up in the past with this department. That’s that it’s not really fair for communities with greater capacity, due simply to their size, to be the sole beneficiaries of reduced costs and greater local benefits associated with higher building standards and efficiency standards. I think that nor really is it fair that use of NWT funds, tight as they are, should be directed towards inefficient infrastructure. So once again I would like to ask this Minister what has been done to introduce the building standards that the larger...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don’t think it quite concludes. We were on regional operations and we had community operations to conclude.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 20)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister’s commitments there. I acknowledge that in fact we do, we are very open about these things. Who I’m hearing from, of course, are my constituents who are trying to upgrade. I want to make the point that these are young people who are often starting families, or perhaps are single parents who have extra needs perhaps beyond the norm. They are facing these challenges. I hope and, I guess, I would ask the Minister to commit and consider these aspects of these students without appropriate certificates for pursuing post-secondary, that they be...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 19)

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. May I ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the new witnesses into the Chamber.

If I could ask Mr. Lafferty to please introduce your witness.