Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say a big thank you, similar to Mr. Alfred Moses, on this CanNor announcement from this morning. Minister Aglukkaq announced new funding for our sportsplex, a sportsplex that’s badly needed in the community of Behchoko.

I would just like to thank her for her contribution, ongoing contribution. Thanks to the chiefs and the grand chief in the region and the GNWT for all the support over the years. We are doing this for the youth, and I just want to highlight the generosity and ongoing commitment from the federal...

Madam Speaker, the educational renewal will deal with that matter as well. What I can commit here is that the renewal of the e-learning up to two years from 2011-12, so we do have some time this year and next year, what has been laid out here.

This is an area that we will be discussing with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council. We will update the standing committee on the results of our discussion and then the next step. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, as I stated, the funding is in the process of renewal up to 2013. Beyond that we need to deal with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council and how we can move forward.

As I stated, I’m very interested in having the continuity of e-learning. Again, we have to service all 33 communities, so we’re currently dealing with the school boards at this point. If we’re going to commit the funds, then those are the discussions that we need to have at that level, then it will be brought back to the standing committee as part of the business planning cycle as we move forward. Mahsi, Madam Speaker...

Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission, Corporate Plan, 2013. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, I didn’t say if I have committed or not on this particular initiative. I stated that we need to deal with the school board and identify the importance of delivering this program into the communities.

What I can state is we are going through various initiatives within the Government of the Northwest Territories. Education renewal is before us. Part of the pillars is professionalism, dealing with the teachers. Also, there is a Small Schools Initiative, the funding that goes to the community, the programming and the delivery. So those are the discussions that will be initiated with...

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I’d like to commend BDEC for the excellent work they’re doing with e-learning. This is an area that we are exploring with other communities as well. As you know, we service 33 communities. With this particular work, we’ve dealt with Alberta Distance Learning at the beginning of the initiative in 2010. Since 2010 we have continued on with the district education authority taking on the initiative on their own.

It’s been very successful to date. There have been approximately 136 students that have taken the program and 110 were successful. That’s just a capture of the success...

The college review, we are talking about the clear roles and responsibilities of the staffing and so forth. With the programming, there are all of these opportunities for the students’ input. I would like to hear their perspectives. I have met with the students here, the post-secondary students, and also those students that were in the diploma-granting and Social Work Program. Those are the key people that we need to listen to. In order to have this program delivered here, we need to gather all the facts and what the students’ input is and so forth. Definitely, I will be passing on to the...

With any program delivery through the colleges, there are always challenges, whether it be enrolment or the programming itself. There are all kinds of challenges that we’re faced with. We have to get through those barriers, those obstacles that may be in the way. That is what we are doing right now. We are discussing how to best get around that, to deliver those degree-granting programs here in the Northwest Territories. That is what we want to see. That is what I would like to see, as Minister responsible, and to have university-granting programing here in the Northwest Territories.

Our North...

Teachers are our most valuable asset in the educational system. We’ll do what we can. We also work closely with the NWTTA and BDEC with our department to try to retain those individuals in the communities. We are going through the engagement process now, so my department will be working closely with BDEC, and the NWTTA is also involved at that level. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Again, Mr. Speaker, the Beaufort-Delta, the decision is made at the regional level in the communities. We, as a department, work closely with them as well. As you know, we are going through some changes. We are engaging the communities, stakeholders, on educational renewal and part of that is discussing accountability and the overall school system. So part of the discussion we are going to be having is capturing that line of discussion. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.