Jackson Lafferty

With any review that’s been undertaken by the GNWT, it’s always been brought to the standing committee for their review as well. Once the report is finalized we really can’t speak to specifics until the committee is under review, and then we can open it up for a general discussion to the general public. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. When it comes to partnership, of course, Heritage Canada has been very proactive with partnering with the GNWT on various partnership and cooperation agreements and contributions. We also work closely with NGOs for them to find spaces. That doesn’t necessarily have to be within GNWT buildings as well. I already did commit to the Members that a priority discussion that we can have at the Cabinet level is this whole art space area. When we talk about that, it’s also 1 percent increase cost to the factor as well. We’ll have to keep mindful of that. We are talking about...

When it comes to this particular program, it has been in the works for a number of years now. I believe there has only been uptake of one or two over the last several years. We did have a guaranteed seat within the GNWT for this particular veterinarian training through the college. It is upwards of $25,000 for the one particular program. It is somewhat expensive. At the same time there has been little uptake on this particular program.

Again, if this is an interest from the general public as a whole, then we can certainly consider it through our review process as we move forward.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. This particular project, of course, as you know, is a preapproved project from the last Assembly. The priorities and goals and objectives of this 17th Assembly will definitely take into effect as we move forward on the new projects within the 17th Assembly government, for sure.

Mr. Speaker, there may only be five communities at this time but we’re looking at the other communities as well. It is based on the committee that has been formed and established. There is a steering committee that consists of various groups and they make recommendations to my attention and we move forward on those initiatives. We have to keep in mind that we have to deal with all 33 communities, and the five communities I think is a good start. We need to work with other communities as well. Mahsi.

First and foremost, I’d like to commend Fort Providence’s language immersion which has been very successful to date. I think that needs applause, a pat on the back, for sure.

We want to create more of those language immersion programs into the schools. We need the language speakers, as well, to become teachers. Every opportunity with the federal Ministers over the last four years I’ve raised that issue about the importance of our languages. We are losing our languages, especially in the Far North. The Gwich’in are losing their language rapidly. As for some of the languages such as Tlicho are...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. When we talk about arts we can talk about, I guess, various artists in the Northwest Territories displaying their arts and their work, their piece of work. We do have, in some government buildings but not all government buildings, PWS I’m not sure if we have an arts display in the actual building itself, but we do have in the ECE building. I think different buildings have their own displays. Again, this is a matter that needs discussion in the Executive branch as well.

As I stated before, although it’s a separate item from ECE, ECE also talked about displaying arts throughout...

As I stated, there are a number of programs within the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Some communities may not have specific programming, but it is delivered through the regional programming officers as well. Just highlighting some of them is: Early Childhood Program administration operations and maintenance, Early Childhood Program, there are contributions in place within the communities; early childhood small communities initiatives; healthy children initiatives; Language Nest, Early Childhood Development Framework for Action. These are just some of the programs I’ve...

Mahsi, Madam Chair. I totally agree with the Member when he’s referring to the importance of having schools. They are the linkage to the communities. It’s also the centre of the overall GNWT goals and objectives.

The language is of importance, as well, where we have an Aboriginal Languages Strategy that’s before us and has been initiated by this group through consultation with over 200 experts around the Northwest Territories. We are moving forward with that. I do try to speak my language as well. I encourage other Members if they can speak their language, to pursue that even further in the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Towards the end of the 16th Assembly, I tabled the Aboriginal Student Achievement Education Plan. It was developed after a broad consultation and aimed to eliminate the education gap between Aboriginal and other students. I am pleased to say that Aboriginal education leaders endorsed the plan by signing the Education Partnership Declaration.

The plan lists the four priorities of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative: early childhood and child care, family and student supports, Aboriginal language and culture curriculum and resource development, and literacy.

This...