Charles Dent

I can’t say exactly, because there wasn’t an agreement that goes beyond this year for funding. For instance, last year, the family learning kits which were done in collaboration with the NWT Literacy Council, there was $76,000 in funding. That is one of the areas that is being cut. We have still got the $251,000 that is still going to be going to them. We are going to have to discuss with them how that is being spent, but it is not an easy number to come up with because the amount that the Literacy Council got each year was not the same. So there wasn’t a set amount that was going; it...

Mr. Chairman, let me just read through this list that I have, it may answer the Member’s question, although it may give it in more detail than what she is interested in. Under the task colleges, and we are talking about the $25.69 million. Of that, minor capital under colleges accounts for $211,000; travel, materials, supplies and purchased services accounts for $44,000; under ABE and literacy, curriculum and exam development accounts for $28,000; travel, materials, supplies and purchased services accounts for $14,000; under apprenticeship and training on-the-job subsidy contracts there is...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No, that’s not an optional program. It’s a required part of the curriculum, it must be taught.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Braden certainly raises a good point and we can certainly take a look at what we can do. It’s complicated by the different numbers of boards we have in town and trying to predict where the growth is going to be in relation to each one becomes more difficult and makes planning an overall response a lot more difficult. It would certainly be advantageous if we could find some way to do that. We will certainly raise that with our partners here and see what the opportunities might be.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, when I met with the Chairs of the divisional education councils we had some discussion about how…Some of the funds that we identify in the formula are categorized as funding aboriginal language programming. There has been a fair amount of latitude about how that money is being spent, and we are concerned that in some instances it may not be being used in the ways in which we had expected that Members of this Assembly would expect. So what we're going to do is work with the DECs. This isn't something that we're just arbitrarily imposing ourselves. We...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I didn’t earlier say that the numbers of students in high schools had dropped. I said the overall schools population had declined by just under one percent. It’s about .8 percent year to year. Most of the decline is in the younger ages rather than the older, and that is consistent with the aging population and it is somewhat expected. As the population ages, you tend to have fewer young children in the population as a proportion. What I did say was the high school participation is increasing. We are getting more young people, particularly more aboriginal young people...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have been assured by my officials here tonight that there was no change in the lease. What has changed is who is responsible for delivering on some of the responsibilities. I am also advised that they have had a look at the issue of the lease and what should be delivered, and are satisfied, according to the lease, it is being done as is required.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, I’d like to say that I appreciate the committee’s comments on the early childhood development program. Like the committee, I believe very strongly that it’s important that we provide this kind of programming for the youngest people in the North. The early years are the most important and we have with this type of programming a real opportunity to significantly impact their future. So it was quite troubling to me that we were going to have to reach the end of the funding for this programming and I must say that I, with the committee, agree that this is an...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Of other expenses, I am assuming, Mr. Chairman, travel is $177,000; materials and supplies is $126,000; purchased services is $168,000; utilities is $526,000; contract services is $3.091 million; fees and payments is $17.116 million; and other expenses of $4.274 million; computer hardware and software is $212,000.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, that’s something that is completely open to DEAs. For instance, in K to 3 the DEA could decide to do the entire program in an aboriginal language. It could be five days a week. The flexibility is there within our system to allow a significant amount of aboriginal language programming. It’s a challenge for a lot of districts though to find adequate resources, to find people who can teach and speak the language as well. That does become a big problem. Then we need to make sure that our communities are being supported.