Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This whole inclusive schooling has been a topic of discussion within our department and with our regional partners, local partners, educational, NWTTA and other partners that are involved. We’ve done the review through the program review office because we have to do our review via the office of the Auditor General as well.

So some of the recommendations came out that we knew we were working within our department and working with the school boards. So, through the Education Renewal, it’s been highlighted as part of the initiatives that we need to roll that into our Education...

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I’d like to thank the Members for their hindsight of all the discussion that’s been taking place, even the three communities that we’ve talked about and even beyond that. Even thanking the students that have been actively engaged. It does take courage for these students to stand up and speak their mind, so I’d like to thank them for that as well.

I totally agree with the Members when they say this is the first step, an NWT safe schools plan. We also need partnerships, building on our success, the program that is being delivered. I agree with all those, and the code of...

Mr. Speaker, educational change, without question, is one of the most critical initiatives we must enact in the NWT. The Education Renewal and Innovation Initiative has been underway for approximately a year, and we are seeing some exciting directions emerge for true foundational change.

This work will create a different way of teaching our youth. It will involve partnerships, improved relationships between communities and schools, and a focus on helping our children develop a strong sense of identity. It will support our educators and lifelong learners to renew authentic learning experiences...

Madam Chair, with your permission, I’d like to ask one of the witnesses to join me at this table.

Yes, please.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Members for speaking to this point on the motion that was brought forward. I would like to thank the Member, Mr. Bromley, for his continuous support and also the Regular Members as well.

Early childhood learning and provision of quality child care in the NWT, of course, has been at the forefront of our goals and objectives. Healthy, educated people free from poverty is one of the goals of this Assembly and it starts in a child. We have to recognize achieving our goals for our people depends on a strong economy. I’ve heard that from some of the...

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Member that we are unique. We are very much different than other jurisdictions. I did receive a letter from the chair of the Beaufort-Delta. We are seriously looking at this particular project. If it’s going to be funded from the department with the school board, those are just some of the recommendations brought to my attention, so I need to work with that. It wasn’t too long ago that we received the letter, but I will keep the Member posted as we move forward on these particular projects. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Through various school boards, they deliver their own projects outside of their business planning budget that they usually receive. Again, thanking them for being innovative and creative. We are working closely with that. There are different projects on the go. E-learning is just one example. There are other school boards that are doing quite well in other projects, as well, that we are closely monitoring. Again, this will be a part of their business planning cycle. If there’s going to be an increase in funding, then that will be considered through the process itself. So at the end of...

Mahsi. We’re not starting from scratch. We’ve collected information and we are moving forward on this. It’s an education renewal. We’ll certainly capture that as well. But at the same time, we are collecting that information. We always use the best practices as well from across and so forth.

This particular inclusive schooling has garnered a lot of attention within our department and we will continue to improve in those areas. Again, we have to work with our partners, the school boards, the DEAs and DECs. Mahsi.

Mahsi. Currently we deliver inclusive schooling through the school boards and through their formula funding, upwards of $26 million above and beyond what’s legislated. So it is $7 million beyond what we’re legislated. The school board is at the discretion of using those funds as well.