Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The other day I recognized the Pages from Range Lake, but I hear we have a new Page from Range Lake. I want to recognize Lacey Lewis. Congratulations for being here, and I also recognize all of the Pages. Thank you for your work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 654-18(3): Living Wage and Northwest Territories' Child Benefit." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, a high-quality education system is one that ensures that student wellness and the development of a positive sense of identity are promoted and embedded in school experiences, programming, and environment.

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment values diversity in our school communities. We recognize the unique challenges experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and two-spirited, or LGBTQ2S+ people, including being possible targets for discrimination and bullying.

In support of these students, staff, and families, the Department, as part of...

Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to advise the House that a ceremony was held this morning in the Great Hall to celebrate eight individuals who have made tremendous contributions to education in the Northwest Territories. Please join me in recognizing this illustrious group in the gallery today, the 2019 inductees into the Education Hall of Fame: Ms. Sheila Cook from Hay River; Sheila Kindred from Fort Smith; Eileen Erasmus from Yellowknife; Steve Nicoll from Fort Simpson; Michelle Brown from Fort Smith; Claudia Parker from Yellowknife; Brenda Johnson from Yellowknife; and Gayle Strikes With A...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 57, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, be read for the second time. This bill amends the Employment Standards Act to:

extend the period of entitlement to unpaid parental leave and to provide for parental sharing of leave;

extend the period of entitlement to unpaid compassionate leave;

provide an entitlement to unpaid family caregiver leave, to allow for individuals to care for family members who are critically ill or injured;

provide an entitlement to paid and unpaid family violence leave;

extend the...

The Form F is actually a form that is signed to show either you have a status number, or if you're Metis, actually you're signed by your band or your Metis association. In fact, I don't see any reason why, once someone has been acknowledged as falling within the Form F that they have Indigenous rights based on being from the Territories, that we should be asking, so if we're doing that, I'm hoping it's a mistake. If we're doing that purposely, it should be fixed, and we will make sure that we look at that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

As stated before, at this point, it isn't just a monthly amount that anyone can access. It is based on the needs, so we do do an assessment, and I think at this point we'll be staying with that because we just don't have the money to support everybody to do anything. I think that it should be income tested. I think that, if people can afford it, then they should help supplement. Like I said, it's something that we try to supplement, but we have to make sure the money goes across as many people as possible.

Mr. Speaker, these are exciting times in post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. This government is meeting its commitment to expand opportunities for post-secondary education, trades-oriented learning, and northern educational institutions, while fostering the knowledge economy. This work is essential to ensuring that Northerners have access to quality post-secondary programs and supports.

Mr. Speaker, we have introduced new legislation to regulate post-secondary institutions, and we have engaged with residents, campus communities, and municipal and Indigenous governments to...

The calculation of the funding for JK and kindergarten is the same, when it comes to people in seats, as the older grades, grade 1 to grade 12, and that is any child who is registered by the end of the beginning of the school year, end of September, I believe, that school or that school board or authority is provided funding for that child seat for the whole year. The calculation is done once a year at the end of September, and it carries forward through, and then it is done again at the next school year. Any child who moves in between there, if they register and they decide to drop out, or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all fairness, I mean, we try to get all children into programming, because the greater the chance of success, actually, if you do have early childhood intervention. The act is pretty clear, though. In 12(1) of the Education Act, it states that a child who is six or under -- and I am going to paraphrase a bit, because I have summarized this from the act, but that is the section. It might not be the exact. Children who are older than six and under 16, the act is very explicit, shall register for school. Then 19(3) says children may register if they are under that age.

W...