Charles Dent

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good afternoon. Today, I would like to inform Members about the NWT Literacy Council’s community book drive.

We all know children who are read to at home do better in school. Reading is one of the best things we can do at any age to increase and maintain our own levels of literacy. With this in mind, for the last several years the NWT Literacy Council has held an annual book drive.

Those who have books to spare may drop them off at locations throughout the city of Yellowknife or at Government of the Northwest Territories offices in Fort Smith, Fort Simpson, Hay River...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I said, this is definitely part of the curriculum already. It’s something we can work on with our partners in the education system to find out if we need to strengthen the resources that are available. If they do, we will certainly look to do that. We do encourage the schools to take advantage of partnerships with the RCMP, Health and Social Services and other caregivers in the communities to make sure the resources are brought into the classroom to help with this whole process. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can’t answer the question as to how many minutes or hours might be involved, but I can say that our curriculum includes the teaching of issues around additions starting from the earliest grades. There is a much heavier emphasis in the health curriculum by the time students get to the junior high level and then it carries on into the high school. It is something that is included in all levels of schooling in the discussions. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. This is an exciting time of year, especially for learners across the Northwest Territories as they graduate from our schools and Aurora College. I have attended several graduation ceremonies in the last few weeks and I would like to congratulate all of our many northern graduates.

Whether they are completing high school or a post-secondary certificate, diploma or degree, seeing successful graduates is a sign of the health of our learning system and a demonstration of the commitment of our students and their families to educational achievement.

I believe we are now...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will have the experts within our system work with the people wherever the program is offered to make sure that that assistance, whatever it is that is required that we normally offer, is provided; that the same thing that we’re doing here will be offered wherever the program is.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I know that the Department of Education provides one teacher for the program and that the kids in the program work with the staff at the centre as well as the teacher to integrate back into the school system. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

That is not right. I have said in this House that I am satisfied that the programs can be delivered adequately in the Northwest Territories in communities other than Yellowknife. We are not the only community that has experts. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

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Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don’t know if it’s because we’re in a round building, but I haven’t felt cornered by the Member in her questions.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have tremendous confidence in the people who administer and deliver the education program in the Northwest Territories and I spoke about that earlier today in the successes that we’ve seen in education. We have a tremendous cadre of professional people who are well qualified to deliver the programs that are offered in education across the Territories.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The population in that facility today may be totally different in 18 months, so I can't speak for where the kids may be able to go in 18 months. I can tell you, as far as I know, Hay River has more than two schools.