Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents, entitled Department of Education, Culture and Employment Response to the Auditor General’s Report on the Northwest Territories Income Security Programs; Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 5-17(4), Report on the Review of the Auditor General of Canada on 2014 Northwest Territories Income Security Programs.

Further to my Return to Written Question 26-17(4), the Sahtu Five-Year Strategic Training Plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “NWT Arts Strategy Progress Report as of March 31, 2013,” and “Right From the Start: A Framework for Early Childhood Development in the Northwest Territories.” Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, this Assembly’s vision of healthy, educated people contributing to a strong and prosperous northern society starts in early childhood, from prenatal to five years. The departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services have worked collaboratively to craft a renewed Early Childhood Development Framework based on best practices and national and international research. We will be tabling this document later today.

From the comprehensive engagement process at the start of the year, the framework includes input from nearly 500 completed surveys, webinars...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] We are talking about a very important issue here because we’re going to transfer a lot of power to the territorial government here. The Premier has signed the agreement and I’m very happy that that was done. Today is a very special day, and when you look at it, I want to thank all the people that work on the devolution.

In 1967, that was the last time that we had some of the issues of devolution to happen. That was the Health and Education. Since then we also had the highway put through to the Northwest Territories. But now we have a document in front of us...

Mr. Speaker, it gives me also great pleasure to recognize my constituents from the Monfwi region. First and foremost is Grand Chief Eddie Erasmus and also Chief Clifford Daniels that are here with us, leaders of the region. Clifford Rabesca-Zoe, Frances Erasmus, aka Goolie, and former chief Leon Lafferty is here with us as well and also Mike Wetrade. I would like to welcome them to the Assembly. Mahsi.

Through various stages we make changes; we improve our programming; we change policies. In Student Financial Assistance or some other income support program, there have been numerous changes as well. Even in 2007, even though I may not have been the Minister, still the department was making changes. Even when I depart there will be another Minister making changes. So all in all, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment provides funding to all these children, either in school, after school, through various venues whether it be agencies or NGOs that we work closely with.

Again, I think...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Clearly, we are not saying no. We are saying we are providing these opportunities for these children.

In the Northwest Territories Anti-Poverty Strategy, there will be a targeted action plan coming forward. This consists of all these departments sitting here. We are very serious, we want to make changes and it will reflect those changes as well. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we are doing something. I am answering his questions as well. Part of the curriculum that we deliver, K to 12 and beyond that, we provide a music program. We provide various other programs in the school as well. We will continue to enhance our programs. These are areas that we are very interested and also we are working closely with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to deliver those programs, even after-school programs. We are involving the parents. We are trying to make a difference. We are making programs deliverable, even working closely with the college and...

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the president of Aurora College, Ms. Jane Arychuk, who is on annual leave to spend time with her family that are coming from the South. I would like to recognize her sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Kim Clouter, who are visiting from Ontario. Welcome to the Assembly.

The Member is referring to music or other sports. Some of these programs, their fees are waived. We know that some certain students cannot afford to be part of the program, so we work with, whether it be…(inaudible)…program, that is a federal program that allocates funding for these students that cannot afford certain sports programs. There are soccer programs, volleyball programs, there are all these different programs that the fees are waived as well.

Working closely with Municipal and Community Affairs, we are making this happen. We will continue to work with different agencies to continue...