Jackson Lafferty

When I talk about external, there are other sources and experts that we need to depend on. When the Member is talking about external evaluation, those are some of the key factors that we need to take into consideration as well.

I stated before that we’re doing a lot of research in this area. We want to have the best product for the Northwest Territories that meets our educational system. That’s what we’re doing. It is a comprehensive and complex issue.

Mr. Speaker, this is one of the recommendations brought to our attention during the SFA review. We are currently reviewing it, how we can best fit it into our programming. As you know, there have been several recommendations that were brought to our attention from the general public. We have initiated three or four of them already as a priority set by our government and also the general public, which is the most pressing need. It is before us and we are evaluating that.

You can rest assured that there are other fundings available, whether it be Labour Market Agreement. Individuals who do not...

As I stated before, we need to reach out to the front-line workers as well. We are doing research and we are reaching out to experts as well. We want to have those best practices from elsewhere, as well, within Canada, and even in the States and internationally, as Mr. Bromley alluded to earlier. Those are the outside experts that are informing us and providing input. We will continue to address that and reach out to various sectors out there, outside our educational system.

Mr. Speaker, it will be extended out to other jurisdictions as well. We’re doing research in this area from our counterparts across the country, and not only that but with ASA what we’ve heard from the general public, and through addictions there’s the forum that’s happening. There are all these different forums that are currently occurring in the Northwest Territories. We’re hearing the same common thing. Based on the six pillars I addressed earlier, system accountability; professional capacity, that deals with the teachers and educators; assessment practices, so based on the various...

The peer passing has been addressed in the House. My staff have been diligently reviewing this. The Finnish system, there’s been research across the country and internationally. I will provide that information of what we have to the Members and the standing committee as well.

I certainly will share the stats and information that we’ve received from the experts over the years. They are telling us that peer passing is the best way to approach these students. Not only that, research that we’ve done, stats address those areas as well.

The peer passing, when we talk to parents or parents talk to us, there are some mixed messages. Some are in favour; some are not in favour. Based on that, we’ve done some additional research throughout Canada and even throughout the States. I will be sharing that information with the Members. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. When I talk about the educational renewal, it does cover a broad sector of areas. There have been talks about educational reform, there have been talks about inclusive schooling, formal funding, small schools, the capital and so forth. So it would capture a lot of those areas, and once we hear from the general public, I will be before the standing committee. A lot of discussion will be taking place. Members alluding to specific areas can be part of the discussion as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we have to go through the process. We’re re-evaluating a program, inclusive schooling. Based on that, there’s going to be a business planning process. In the meantime, we’re continuing to work with what we have in our budget, but rest assured that these are some of the changes that we’ll probably foresee within inclusive schooling, based on what we’ve heard from the general public, the professionals and the educators, and then we’ll come back to the standing committee to update them on the status. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Through our engagement and also visiting communities we’ve been hearing about inclusive schooling, how can we best address the special needs in our schools, how can we have a speech therapist and other professions in our schools, how can we provide support. So based on that, and we’re doing a comprehensive review, and that will address what the Member is alluding to. So I am looking forward to the outcome of the project itself, and it is comprehensive, it will take some time, but it will make some changes to our educational system. Mahsi.

We’ve done some of the research throughout the other jurisdictions. It varies. There is different programming in other jurisdictions. Some sponsor students through various grades one on one, individual assessments. They do a student assessment. In the Northwest Territories we use a different approach. The whole comprehensive, I want to listen to the people. Especially the educators, the parents are involved, how we can upgrade or enhance our existing programming. Those are some of the fundamental changes we can foresee. We are doing a lot of research with other jurisdictions. We have contacts...