Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi. First I’d just like to congratulate those individuals in the past that have obtained gold medal level, a silver medal and also bronze at the national or international level and for the Northwest Territories as well. So we have to congratulate those individuals for their hard work and continue to support them. This is an area that, federally, Canada’s Job Grant is coming and Labour Market Agreement and Labour Market Development Agreement, there are changes coming. What the Member is referring to, if we can integrate that into our discussions with the federal, how we can achieve those...

As I stated, this is the discussion we’ve been having. We’re talking about potentially just a sticker on the back of an iPad, a tablet, similar to the De Beers book that we distributed through our partnership with De Beers and the schools. So it could be a matter of a sticker on the back of that tablet. We’re finalizing those discussions we are currently having. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. As I stated, we are working on the details of that. Obviously, we don’t want to see when we open up an iPad and it flashes. We just want to have their branding or logo on the product itself. Those are the logistics that we’re still figuring out. We are working closely with Health and Social Services where it is a joint initiative, as well, early childhood development.

We are at the early stage of the branding at this point, but we are dealing with the industry on the particular matter. There will be some sort of branding, obviously, on the tablet itself. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Those are the logistics that still need to be worked out. With any sponsors, obviously, they want their logo. We are currently in discussion with the industry on the particular matter, but at the end of the day, the important part is we are giving tablets to new mothers, expectant mothers and all kinds of programs that will be beneficial to the family. That is what we’re doing at this point. There are a lot of discussions that are happening. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Junior Kindergarten – Fact Package.”

Mahsi. I agree with the Member that these individuals should be recognized and supported, and that’s what we’re doing through our apprenticeship occupation certification. We’ve committed $70,000 to support Skills Canada per year. Also, in 2013-14 we provided $140,000 for Skills Canada. We’ll continue to provide those types of sponsorships for these individuals to succeed beyond just the trades access. Someday we want them to be a journeyman ticket holder so they can come back to our Northwest Territories and contribute to our society. So, yes, those are areas that we need to discuss with the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Through the Skills Canada office, they’re supported by federal and also our territorial government through the ECE department and industry through program and event sponsors. So this is a very successful initiative pertaining to access trades programming throughout the Northwest Territories, nationally and also international stages. So we are working closely with Skills Canada to obtain the data that they would have on those individuals that are entering the trades programming. We have our own information as well. We sponsor those individuals through labour market...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Certainly that is part of it as well. As I stated, there are various different apps on these particular tablets that we have been talking about. That is just one piece of it. When we’re distributing these tablets to the new moms, we’re talking about new moms with infants. Obviously, the infant won’t be able to pick up the tablet, but it’s all these programs so the parents can work with their child. It’s all learning tools and resources we are providing. So, yes, that will be part of the package that will be going out, what we’ve been hearing about in the whole discussion...

In fact, we’ve been doing that since we started talking about the JK and other early childhood development areas. There has been some funding issues because of enrollment. It’s not just JK. We need to focus on how we can improve the enrollment issues and challenges that we’re facing within the communities. My department is committed, through the education renewal, that we need to talk about formula funding for the student enrollment in our education as part of a contribution, so this is an area that we will continue to push forward.

We will be continuing to contribute to the school boards to establish this type of programming in the communities. As I stated in this House, I did commit that if it’s beyond 16 to 1 ratio on the teacher ratio basis, then obviously there will be a difference of a new funding formula towards those organizations and towards the school boards. These are the commitments that I have made in the House and I will continue to live up to it. It’s 16 to 1, and anything beyond that we will provide additional funding to the school boards.