Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a follow-up to my Member's statement. I have a few questions for the Minister of Education. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, parents feel the need to -- you know, the decision should be theirs to put their child in any language program that they'd like them to learn. I'd like to ask the Minister how has the department directed education councils and school boards on access to language classes? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, can the Minister ensure that this is straightened out by the mid-term of the school year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to ask the Minister what options are available to parents and children who would like to enroll in a different language class?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, education has been a large focus of our work in the House over the past two weeks, and we've also talked a fair bit about the importance of choice for parents and for students. I'll be continuing on this theme today.

Mr. Speaker, a number of my constituents in my riding have come to me with concerns about policies affecting their children, their children's ability to learn and to choose the course of their own education. The Beaufort Delta Divisional Education Council's policy says that, when a child enrols in a language class, for example, to learn Gwich'in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I stand in support of this motion. Mr. Speaker, the A New Day has a saying: we built it, they came and keep coming. Mr. Speaker, as of September, 299 men and 59 women were served through the program as of September 2016, and the number has risen as we are now in November.

Mr. Speaker, you see the intake we've had, yet we only have 2.5 people working there; two full-time positions and one part-time. Mr. Speaker, there are four stages of the program. The first stage is defining abuse and taking responsibility; number two is developing a relapse...

When does the department plan to complete and share with the Regular Members its evaluation of the A New Day Program?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow-up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister of Justice. The A New Day Program is going to sunset at the end of December, and I understand that a clause in the current contract would let the department and the Tree of Peace extend the program by one year. So I would like to ask the Minister what funds are available within the department's planning budget to continue the men's program in 2017-2018? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you colleagues. To address these NWTspecific problems, we need an NWTspecific program, and, Mr. Speaker, I believe we've found that in the work of the A New Day program administered by the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre here, in Yellowknife. This pilot project was built on 10 years of research and advocacy by the Coalition Against Family Violence, and it was designed specifically based on engagement with the NWT women to help men heal and to prevent further violence.

This program has been praised by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The NWT also included it...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know we are meeting in December as Regular Members, so I'm sure we will get an update at that time. Hopefully we have some good news that this program will continue, as it is making a big difference for a lot of people and is successful, so it only makes sense to continue. So will the Minister ensure that the program continues? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

If the A New Day ends as the department plans, how long would it take for the department to reinstate the men's program following that gap in services?