Jackson Lafferty

When we first discussed this particular area where we should have a format where on an annual basis the increment to the minimum wages, how it’s going to be reflected and when is that going to be happening. The committee will be established to look at those areas and how we can make those changes, and working with various provincial counterparts as well as territorial. Those are some of the anticipated discussions that will be taking place. It will be established in the spring of 2013.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment continues to improve its income security programs to ensure that residents of the Northwest Territories receive the support they need to tackle barriers they face to enter the workforce and meet their financial needs.

In April 2009, the office of the Auditor General began its financial and performance audits of income security programs in the Northwest Territories, completed in September 2012. In anticipation of recommendations coming from the audit, the department has already begun work to improve accountability and streamline...

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. We did over time receive correspondence from the college. Just recently we received one that showed an expression of interest on the campus itself. That is an area that we are currently exploring within our department. We will be going through the capital planning process, and it will be addressed at that level too.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. Some of the areas that we talk about, the heritage centre, $491,000, the cultural projects, preserving, identity enhancement, traditional cultures, and contribution to administration and operations, those are just some areas that will capture it. I understand where the Member is coming from with the arts council. New Northern Arts Program does capture to some degree northern film, part of the heritage.

I do take the Member’s comments into consideration, and we can definitely, well, we do have some highlights of what kind of organizations we currently sponsor. Based on that...

The quickest answer would be everyone. We’re all responsible. We provide funding to the school boards. Even the parents and grandparents have to play a part. The school programming, there is an accountability framework that happens where my department and I work closely with the divisional boards to make it a success for the students. When we say who is responsible, I believe that we are also responsible. We have to make sure that the school boards are following the Education Act and the money that flows to them goes to the direct cause of student success. Those are just some of the areas that...

Yes, Mr. Chair.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Heritage centres do receive funding, as well, of $491,000. Again, arts councils, culture projects, cultural organizations, when you really look at it in detail, cultural organizations, cultural projects do capture heritage because you work closely with the museum. In the Sahtu region there was a project on the go with ice. So those areas do capture heritage. It may not be upfront, but almost every one of them do capture heritage. Mahsi.

I do believe they do. There are steering committees in place to deal with industry’s needs and also community needs based on their assessment. Through various agencies we’ve been working with as a department they have produced data on individuals that were trained, what year they were trained, and how many are available to work and so forth. We do have that information available through our department and our regional representatives.

We can share it with the Members.

Mahsi. There have been some modules that individuals had to take in the past. It was a part of the certification program. Now we are delivering a diploma program, and if the student is enrolled full-time, then they should be able to complete the program in two years. Again, we’re working closely with the college on this.

There are certification students that are part-time students. Even the diploma program, some are part-time, some are full-time. So it does fluctuate in how long they take on the program, but we’ll provide the Members with the information from the college. Mahsi.