Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Next on my list I have Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. We will continue with general comments on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and perhaps get to detail today. Committee agree?

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. I will call on Mr. Daniels.

I appreciate that commitment to determine how many child care spaces are needed compared to what we now have. The other question I have is, our birth rate in terms of annual numbers is fairly predictable. Is the capacity in place to provide healthy pregnancy, infant health, and parenting skills programming to all who are likely to need these services? I realize some of those are Health and Social Services but, as I say, I’m impressed with the coordination. Is the capacity in place to provide healthy pregnancy, infant health and parenting skills programming to all who are likely to need those...

Question is being called.

---Carried

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Committee, I’m about to recognize the clock, but before we do, we’re on page 10-17, activity summary, Education, Culture and Employment, education and culture, operations expenditure summary, $181.532 million. Agreed? Ms. Bisaro has a comment. Go ahead, Ms. Bisaro.

Okay, I know that won’t be exciting news to the language communities that are out there waiting for new dollars to come forward here, although I am sure they will appreciate the conference that is happening and so on, and will participate. I am just wondering will the funding program, the proposals, fall out of this update that we will receive in the fall session? Is that where we’ll learn what the plans are and progress on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement and ask the Minister of ECE a few questions here on early childhood. I’m very supportive of the Early Childhood Small Communities Initiative that’s been announced in the budget. It shows some good coordination. I’m wondering what the deficit is. I’m assuming this is known. What is the deficit in the number of child care spaces in the Northwest Territories and how many new daycare spaces does the government plan to open or support in the coming year?