Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, each individual situation is going to require a unique solution, so it is difficult to answer it in a general way. There are in every instance monies available for dealing with children who have special needs given to the divisional education councils, which in turn funds the district education authorities to provide the services. So the legislation in the Northwest Territories requires that the councils provide an appropriate level of education for all students, and that may take the provision of an individual’s support in a classroom, or it may take...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to take a look at the terms and conditions under which the program is offered. As I said, it’s a federal program. The federal government pays for the entire cost of the program and, therefore, they set the rules and conditions of who qualifies for it. We may not have the flexibility to allow for that, even if somebody was prepared to pay. But I can’t say that for sure, so I’ll look into it and get back to the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can tell the Member that on more than one occasion during the 13th Assembly when I was Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, I sent letters to the federal government and asked the Ministers to reconsider their position on the university and college entrance program, which is offered only for treaty people. I have always been rebuffed in those approaches. I haven’t tried it again since becoming Minister, but I am prepared to immediately write to the federal government and again see if they will reconsider their position.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can’t answer Mr. Delorey’s question about whether or not it’s a flat fee for every service that’s performed. I would expect on most occasions it is a flat fee per service, but I can’t say that with certainty. I would be happy to investigate and get back to him on that.

On the other case, if an article is seized and stored somewhere, then, yes, it is common for charges to be levied for that storage, particularly if a third party is responsible for the storage. For instance, if a car is seized for non-payment of some bill and there’s a judgment received, if that car has...

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the sheriff is an employee of the government, yes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure that the Member can trace it exactly the way that she did, but I would agree with her that this government does recognize its obligation to provide an education to children. I think that what I have been saying is that we believe we are providing the funds to the DEC, and through them to the DEA. If there is a problem, that needs to be addressed at the local level, and the department may need to work with the DEC and the DEA to make sure that the solution is found. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since 1999-2000 to this year, the amount of funding that has been provided to divisional educational councils to fund programs for children with special needs has gone from just over $6 million to over $16 million. So there has been a pretty dramatic growth in the amount of funding in the past four years. It has more than doubled. That I think indicates that there has been some commitment on the part of this legislature to provide funds, and I guess what we are going to have to find out in the next little while is whether or not that increase has been...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s in all our interests to make sure anybody who is capable of getting a higher education in the Northwest Territories is given a hand to get that education. So the department is constantly reviewing the programs that are offered and looking at ways to improve them. I would say that as part of our regular reviews we will continue to do that and make sure our programs are offered in the best way possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.