Charles Dent

Madam Chair, the total graduation rate jumps up and down a significant amount because of the small numbers of young people in our school system. So there can be a large variation year to year. But in general the trend does appear to be in the right way, it is increasing, and it seems to be consistent in smaller communities, in regional centres. It isn't something that appears to be concentrated in just the regional centres and not in the smaller ones. So we do seem to be getting more graduates as a percentage throughout the system. Since the numbers are staying constant, if you're getting...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we would be prepared to work with another department to accomplish that sort of thing.

I don’t think a lot of people are aware that a traditional lifestyle is a productive choice in our income support program. It is supported through the income support program right now. For instance, if somebody wants to choose that, we are quite prepared to support them by the purchase of fuel and shells to help them get back on the land and help them become self-sufficient on the land. That is already accomplished. The Member also talked about the need for training, and that is...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The one is for improvements to the buildings, so for minor capital. The other would be available for ongoing funding; displays, et cetera.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, that’s one of the programs that I was mentioning. I understand the proposal is very close to its final stage in draft form and almost ready for submission. One of the big advantages of that kind of training proposal is that the industry partners with their involvement make sure that the training is targeted specifically at the jobs that are going to be available and they commit to taking on the people who have been trained through that program. So we know we’re training people for the jobs that will be available. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The biggest portion of that would be for support for the CMAS system we pay to CGI.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Right now DECs and DEAs can do that sort of thing. That’s permitted. We would welcome seeing it happen. The problem is often, as the Member has already noted, the resources and finding teachers who are fluent in the local languages is sometimes a problem. There’s no question that it can be done. There can be more done in aboriginal languages in the school and we encourage more and more of it to take place. I think it’s important to remember that the schools can’t save the language. Again it comes back to family and community buy-in. There has to be more than just an...

Mr. Chairman, every year we go through a process of evaluating the needs in the capital plan and every year there will be some movement because we will sometimes find that the piles are rotting on a school somewhere that we weren’t aware of and have to move some project forward, or we discover that the population has dropped in a community in the school, therefore it isn’t quite as urgent to deal with the project. I will certainly keep the Member’s request in mind as we are looking at the capital projects next year. It’s difficult to make any promises. It’s impossible to make promises at this...

Thank you, Madam Chair. In fact, for instance this year the school population has dropped by just under one percent. So school populations haven't increased very much at all over the last four or five years. What we're finding is a good part of the growth is in the smaller communities when it comes to secondary school graduation. So it's not something that doesn't indicate that we are seeing an improvement. Given the small numbers of people we have in schools, the numbers tend to jump up and down a fair bit, but the trend seems to be going the right way. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have had an opportunity to tour the facility. I have had an informal meeting with members of the board, so I am aware, in a general sense, of what the interest is. I do know what the programming is that they propose to offer, yes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, certainly when a proposal comes forward like that, it will be given careful consideration. I would be happy, at that time, to meet with the board and discuss their proposal. Thank you.