Jackson Lafferty

As I stated, this will be a discussion that we need to have with the school boards. Obviously, we want the surplus funds to go to our children in the Northwest Territories, the education programming. It’s very preliminary at this time, but the discussion will be happening with the school boards.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. As it stands now, I can only speak to how we’re contributing to the school boards. I do have a list of just over $146 million to the school boards and the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Education Council is top on the line. We give more money based on the enrollment and also the cost factor as well, as the Member alluded to, the high cost of living in the communities.

My deputy alluded earlier that we’ll be re-evaluating the funding formula to the schools. So this is an area that could change as we develop the discussion paper on whether we’re going to be changing the formula...

Mr. Chair, the discussions that we’ve been having, there’s been some changes to the direction and whatnot and talking to various organizations and the departments as well. We are committing upwards of $500,000 as part of the 2015-16 budget as we move forward for a planning study. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. In order to achieve the 29 communities by the 2014-15 school year on junior kindergarten, it will cost us approximately $2.8 million on an annual basis. The Member is referring to the qualification. We’ve highlighted already the types of training that will be required and training that we’re going to be delivering to these individuals and also the operators. More specifically, when it comes to junior kindergarten, we have to work with the kindergarten teachers as well. We’re understanding of and share the Member’s concerns, and we’re going to be developing an action plan...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I do reflect on the Member asking that particular question. I don’t have the information here, the latest status, but I can provide that as soon as possible.

We provide detailed information to the Member. He alluded to the 81 students. We should be proud of those students advancing their education whether it’s through Aurora College or adult learning centres in communities. Obviously, we want them to succeed even further, whether it is trades accessing programming or whatever. The Member asked what happens for them in Grade 12. Obviously, we want to have supporting mechanisms in place for them through the high school programming or even the college. We are currently working very closely with the college, as well, to provide those supports. Even...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Part of the lease costs for NUP is approximately $964,000 base rate. Of course, there is O and M, as well, $1.2 million on average. Actually, per annum would be $2.235 million a year. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Most definitely, we are using telehealth. The Member mentioned Sachs could be a challenge, but we are fully aware that the Beaufort-Delta on the e-learning and other technology enhancement that they’ve had, they’ve been dealing with the telehealth in their schools as well. Those are some of the accessible technologies that we have, so we’ll take full advantage of it. We have and we will continue to do so.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This particular area obviously falls under productive choices within income security. We support individuals who want to go out on the land. We have to work with organizations as well. If they have to handle a chainsaw, a rifle or a snowmobile, those are some liabilities we have encountered in the past, but we have always worked around other organizations, whether it is the band council or hamlet council or other agencies in the community. Those are some areas we have assisted in. Perhaps it is two months of income assistance if they want to go out on the land, so we’ve done...

We need to get that information from the school boards, the detailed information. I don’t have it in front of me today. Based on our contribution, it is specifically to hire elders in schools. In the 37 communities I have highlighted, the $400,000 has been disbursed to the school boards and it’s at their discretion to hire the elders through our contribution. Mahsi.