Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Based on this government’s adventures in hydro power plant and transmission line building over the last 15 years, an unfortunate pattern is emerging. It starts with a modest community proposal to generate local hydro power. It could be Deline with their run-of-river proposal on the Bear River, Lutselk’e with their proposal for the Snowdrift, Whati on the La Martre River, or even Fort Smith’s desire to make use of wasted power on the Taltson system.

These proposals were all able to show long-term savings for both the community and this government that spends many millions...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, I was asking why the 300 iPads that were purchased were not distributed, if they weren’t. That was my question. I have other questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just wanted to follow up on the earlier question about the transitional allowances for eligible devolved employees. I’m interested in that information for all departments. It looks like it has been three departments probably, three or four departments. Will this cost be derived from I believe it was the $23 million, the one-time costs to implement devolution? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When the absence of required annual reports are not noted and profiled, then I think there’s obviously the need for this motion. I’ll be supporting it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just quickly, and this is a little bit of what I was referring to. While I support the need for five- and 10-year measurable targets, in fact we need one-year targets and I’m hoping I’ll be seeing those as we go through the motions here and that the Minister will, in fact, recognize the need for that during the life of this Assembly, what are we going to get done approach. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also appreciate the Members bringing this forward. I believe that, actually, for a relatively small number of people there should be some consideration for compensation here. Unfortunately, the ask as stated refers to all those who escort, and I think quite a number of Members and certainly I had reservations about it being that broad. Nevertheless, there is undoubtedly an issue here for those family members and especially the breadwinners that must take time off, as we’ve heard from others, for extended leave to escort and accompany family members or unilingual...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said, their input has been ignored. They’ve put in requests to meet with the Minister – this has been going on for years now, this JK idea – and somehow the Minister has not found time to meet with this group. What does that say?

ECE seems to require bachelor’s degrees in NWT schools and they are now adding Junior Kindergarten where a teaching degree is not the standard. In fact, we’re looking for early childhood education expertise.

Will the Minister’s rule of bachelor degrees only block participation of professionals with a three-year diploma in early childhood...

I take from that that the Minister does not agree that the northern experts in early childhood education at the Aboriginal Head Start program have much to offer in the sphere of early childhood education, which I think is a travesty and a mistreatment of our public.

Many professional educators in the Northwest Territories feel that the hybrid curriculum for Junior Kindergarten proposed by ECE is inappropriate for four-year-old children. Aboriginal Head Start experts agree and are opposed to the curriculum as it now stands. This is based on the 17 years of on-the-ground experience.

Why isn’t the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to, as we begin Seniors Month, recognize the NWT and Yellowknife seniors, in particular a couple of Weledeh residents, starting with my mother, Barb Bromley; Barb Hood, president of the NWT Seniors; and I would like to join my colleagues in recognizing all the inductees of the Education Hall of Fame today. I listened to their comments and their commendations, astounding dedication and service on behalf of the people, especially the wee people of the Northwest Territories, which I know the seniors will appreciate too.

Could I just mention Val Carter? It was...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I notice foster care homes are on there, the screening and reviewing. One of the biggest opportunities we have are grandparents. They are such an incredible mechanism out there for looking after families and keeping families together and so on, and yet we continually fail to support them to the degree that they may be part of these exhibits. Mrs. Groenewegen I heard in the House just the other day speaking to this. I think all of us have spoken at one time or another. I have current issues with constituents where, because the children are not formally adopted, we’re not...