Jackson Lafferty

I would have to get back to the Member on the status of the compensation, the policy that he is referring to. Like I said, I did meet with my staff at WSCC and they did inform me that the paper was coming and that these are the areas we take seriously into consideration, were the compensation for injured workers. I have to get back to the Members on the exact status of the report.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. In 2012-2013 for the Kaw Tay Whee School there’s been a request for interior works, $286,000. The DEA has requested additional time for raising external funding for this particular project. So in an effort to increase the scope to include the classroom addition that the Member is referring to, the funding will be carried over to fiscal year 2013-2014. So we are working with the DEA on this particular school and we need to respect their wishes, as well, but we’ll do what we can to complete that project as well. Mahsi.

Again, we’re not hiding stuff within our department or government. This is an area that we want to make sure and clarify whoever’s the consultant, having the same messaging. Recommendations brought forward may not be the same recommendations brought forward by the general public and also the department. We have to work together on this. We’re not hiding anything, but it will be tabled in the House before session ends.

When it comes to early childhood development, the program and community initiatives, there are all kinds of different initiatives and attached to that would be subsidies. I can provide the Members with the subsidies available to whether it be the young families or larger families, that they can access the various subsidy programs through our Department of Education, Culture and Employment and also with Health and Social Services. We can provide that detailed information on the actual subsidy program that may be available.

Mahsi. I definitely will provide detailed information of the childhood inspection licensing action plan and also the schedule. We do have a schedule in place as of this month, October, until early next year, spring. We want to follow through with each and every recommendation that was brought forward according to the Auditor General’s report. It is a very serious issue, especially dealing with early childhood. So I will be providing that detailed information to the Members. Mahsi.

Yes, there are various subsidy programs for early childhood development programming, whether it be an early childhood program for start-up and operation contribution funding through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, which also offsets the cost of operations and contributions towards items such as groceries, equipment, and material purchases. Also, in 2007, we established a rent and mortgage subsidy program that would offset the cost of basic rent and mortgage expenses. Those are just some of the subsidies that are being offered to the communities throughout the Northwest...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since the report came out, the recommendations, my department committed to follow through with each and every one of them, and one of the areas that we did highlight through our discussion within the department is implementing the early childhood development instrument where we need to identify the early years of those students, the child, the learning, the first year that data has been collected using the EDI tool, and that tool will definitely guide us in decision-making for better healthy childhood development throughout the communities of the Northwest Territories.

Also...

The legislation can set a clear definition on this particular anti-bullying legislation and mandate the need for policies and training. Also, ground involvement of effective resources is required to address the complex issue of generating safe schools in the NWT to meet the challenge of both legislation and comprehensive territorial-wide to prevent bullying in the NWT schools are needed. Both pieces are needed as we move forward on a comprehensive plan that we are currently working on. We are moving forward on those two initiatives.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Minister Kusugak from the Nunavut government for joining us today. He’s also a counterpart to the Minister responsible for WSCC.

Also, I would like to recognize Gayla Meredith, president of the NWTTA, who is here with us. Welcome.

Yes, again, there is a policy that’s coming forward, and I want to give the Members a heads-up that we want to make some changes and make some amendments to what the Member’s alluded to, whether it be IBA or land claims or other areas. That we are, on a regular basis, listening to the Members, if they want to see some changes. We are taking them seriously, and this is one of the areas that is coming forward based on the Member’s discussions, and I will be sitting down with the Members to give them an update on the amendments and changes before the end of the year.