Jackie Jacobson

Again, I thank the Minister for the report that was done on Mangilaluk School. The situation in the Mangilaluk School, I’m happy to hear the Minister on a go forward basis on the funding for next year, but I still feel strongly enough that I do want to put a motion into the House. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s all good news to hear from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister if we could do a joint letter to that fire marshal from myself and from him to get him into the communities to get this issue sorted out before a fire does occur. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In the community of Tuk -- I’ve been a firefighter there for over 20 years, Mr. Speaker -- we have no breathing apparatuses. We have six units that were there from the 1980s. The bunker gear is outdated, Mr. Speaker. We were at a fire about a month and a half ago. I’m asking the Minister if he could commit to find the funding and the financing to address these issues in all of Nunakput. Thank you.

Oh, no.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I haven’t really spoken with regards to this. Today I will support the motion with regard to the caribou, due to lack of consultation to accommodate the aboriginal governments or aboriginal people of this area or the people using the herd, to bring all groups together to allow an open expression of the key issues on conservation and aboriginal rights,

Like Mr. Krutko said earlier, in Nunakput, in some of my communities we have to drive almost 300 kilometres one way to go and hunt caribou in our hunting zones because of the bagging system. We, as Inuvialuit, want to...

Mr. Speaker, considering that the government once promised all students across the Northwest Territories would receive equal, quality education, this government should finally develop an aggressive strategy to address all inadequacies and implement recommendations to make the real improvements on that report.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my Member’s statement was on Mangilaluk School. Recently, Don Kindt Consulting conducted, completed and released a report identifying serious deficiencies and inadequacies with the Mangilaluk School in Tuktoyaktuk. Will this government commit to implementing the improvements to all of the problems identified in this report? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One of the government’s pledges is to provide good, equal education for all residents of the Northwest Territories, but when smaller communities are so far below larger centres such as Yellowknife, I wonder if this government will put their money where their mouth is. We have to commit to put improvements needed and identified in the Don Kindt Consulting report on Mangilaluk School. I will have questions for the Minister of ECE at the appropriate time.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. You know, Education, Culture and Employment represents 24 percent of our total budget. The Minister said a lot of good things as to what they are providing that will help my communities in Nunakput. The $1.3 million to improve education for aboriginal students through the literacy programs, after-school programs, which is a big uptake in my home community of Tuktoyaktuk and other communities that I represent, culture orientation for new teachers coming into our riding, aboriginal student achievement coordinator position, that is going to be coming in. I would like to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for committing to come to the community; well, actually, the tour of Nunakput, to see all the inadequacies we have in the school system in all of the communities that I represent. Mr. Speaker, we have to action this sooner than later. The school system has to be really looked at in a way that, like from the South. You said the south is different than… We’re no different than the South, Mr. Speaker. We just want the Minister to commit to making sure that the quality of education is brought to Nunakput. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.