Bob Bromley

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I did have a couple of questions here. As I alluded to in my general comments, recognizing the cost of living and the need for community-based expertise to address things like cost of living but also some of our environmental priorities, the need for local economic development, the need for technological and administrative expertise in our communities, I’m wondering if the department has finally responded to the Standing Committee on Social Program’s persistent recommendation that Aurora College programs be developed for sustainable community administrators and renewable...

Thank you, committee. Short break.

---SHORT RECESS

Thank you, Minister. Next on my list is Mr. Menicoche.

I’ll call Committee of the Whole to order. Today we have under consideration Bills 2, 4, 7, Tabled Document 62-14(6) and Minister’s Statement 47-16(4). What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Daniels. Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you for that response. I would like to ask the Minister, a particular need is for spaces for infants. That seems to be the bottleneck and perhaps understandably. It’s very challenging. Is the Minister supporting the provision of child care spaces for infants and where are we at on that? Is there sufficient provision of those spaces out there? I understand there isn’t. What is the Minister doing to provide that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Tabled Document 62-16(4), NWT Main Estimates, 2010-2011, and would like to report progress, with two motions being adopted. I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Minister.

I appreciate those comments. I am, once again, very supportive of the program. I think it would be worthwhile determining what the needs are out there for number of spaces. That would help inform the program and make it more effective. I wonder if the Minister would commit to determining how many child care spaces are needed and, once again, I’m wondering how many new ones are being supported this year.