Bob Bromley

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I don’t seem to be getting a full understanding here. I understand that the department called for sponsorship in purchase of iPads in 2013 through a public call for that. Why was that done and what was the response?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The last question I have, are the mine inspectors that transferred over, are they in ITI or, sort of, ENR, because I believe that’s the department we’re on here, or are they in ITI or Lands? Thank you.

I was offering to read the Minister’s briefing note out that explains that, if he would like me to.

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...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the update. I think we did try and address this in the 16th Assembly and I think we did it late, but we didn’t really pursue it to the point of actually getting something done in the 16th. I think, although time may be short, that is apparently what has to happen. We need to take this on and actually demonstrate some real progress in this Assembly. Albeit, time is short and I appreciate the Minister’s steps and I’ll be certainly working with my colleagues to make sure that this comes to some real realization for people and families on the ground.

So, I will be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, June 4, 2014, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that in recognition of the clear public concern about fracking, the Government of the Northwest Territories immediately refrain from supporting any hydraulic fracturing proposals until a full and public assessment has been completed that demonstrates that the impacts of fracking and related development on the North are better understood and demonstrates that it can manage this technology in a way that ensures the integrity...

The Minister is not listening to the Aboriginal Head Start educators. They have been trying to have their concerns related to the proposed pre-kindergarten curriculum heard by the Minister, who refuses to meet with them and his staff ignore them, but they have been unable to get a meeting with him to express those concerns.

Will the Minister, not his staff, agree to sit down with representatives from the Aboriginal Head Start program – people have been working in this area for 17 years on the ground, developing their expertise and evaluating it just as this government should be doing, but...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment following up on my Member’s statement. The Aboriginal Head Start program has been providing effective early childhood education in the Northwest Territories for the past 17 years. This program has been evaluated both locally and by the federal government and has been found outstanding.

Will the Minister agree that the northern experts in early childhood development education at the Aboriginal Head Start program have much to offer in the sphere of early childhood education in the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We hear increasing concerns from parents, teachers and education professionals regarding ECE’s plan to implement a free kindergarten curriculum that many feel is inappropriate for the NWT. The curriculum, apparently a blend of kindergarten, pre-kindergarten and early grades, not only lacks benefits for four-year-olds, it may even be harmful to some aspects of child development.

The fact that our smaller communities recognize that go slow approach is required, means that we have some opportunity to get it right before irreversible damage is done. We must get professional...

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.