Jackson Lafferty

The program is sunsetting the end of the month. As I stated, with any pilot program initiative that’s been undertaken, there’s a need for re-evaluating the program if it’s been successful. Discussion comes forward after that. As we move forward to the business planning cycle, this I’m sure will be a topic of discussion as well.

I, again, indicated that the schools are receiving funding. With our budget that’s been approved, it has been allocated to various different programs in the schools. The majority of our funding also goes to the school boards and they decide where the money should be distributed, based on their interest in the students, the teachers, the programming. The school boards can also decide on the various areas that they can allocate funding. If it’s going to be towards the Food First Program, then it’s at their discretion to work with that. There are other program dollars that we have identified and...

Mahsi. I can assure the Member that every opportunity I get to meet with the chief commanding officer, those communities without the RCMP detachments, it’s always addressed, improvement into a visit to the communities by RCMP officers and we have done that. But there’s always room for improvement, especially with winter road operation. With Tsiigehtchic, since April of last year until December there’s been visits almost every month, with the exception of November because of freeze-up, and there’s been a DARE program that started at the school in October and it was supposed to be rolled out in...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Those communities without RCMP detachments, we provide services through nearby detachments such as Fort McPherson. We’ve allocated a position there specifically for Tsiigehtchic and the Member is referring to equipment and mobile units such as radios. That equipment is outdated. We work with the RCMP “G” Division to upgrade that equipment and through the federal expenditures they have the capital expenditure programming and we have our own investment into those communities, as well, to upgrade such equipment that officers need to use. There’s been a visit from the RCMP...

With any pilot project that’s been undertaken in the past we’ve always reviewed the program, how successful it’s been or if there are areas for improvement, and then taken into consideration as we move forward if we need to reintegrate that into our business planning cycle. If it’s been successful, let’s look at it; if not, then there’s room for improvement. This is an area that has been earmarked for discussion. As a pilot project, we’ve done the pilot project for a year and we’re here now. It’s sunsetting but, as the Member is indicating, maybe the program should be reviewed. As I stated...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We just went through the budget process and it’s been approved by this Assembly. Every year we go through the business planning cycle. I’m sure this Food First Program will be before us again once we go through the process.

I must highlight that there are programs available as well, as I indicated, on the Healthy Food for Learning. There is upwards of $380,000 that’s been dispersed to all schools. Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative to focus on absenteeism and attendance, this is an area that’s been discussed as well. We have over $30,000 in that respect. There is...

Breakfast, lunch, supper. We are currently providing funds for healthy learning, Healthy Food for Learning and other programs I’ve highlighted. The community schools, regional schools, are all applying for the funds. We’ve highlighted Beaufort-Delta, Commission Scolaire, Deh Cho, Tlicho, Sahtu, South Slave, YCS, YK1 have all accessed funds. So the money is available. They can provide those services. We’ll continue to provide the programming and resources that we can. We’ll continue to do that.

As the Member stated, this program has been sunsetted. It was just for a year, a year project, but we are focussing on other areas as well. As we’ve discussed here in the House, Healthy Food for Learning, all the school boards are getting funding. All the communities are covered in that respect. Breakfast for Learning...(inaudible)...for Healthy Learning, health promotion funds, Drop the Pop, Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, a forum that we’re having. There’s been a discussion on how each student should be a successful student in our educational system. So, Mr. Speaker, we provide as...

We will be in touch with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to see what can be arranged for a meeting. We will be in the Beaufort-Delta in May to have an Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative forum. So this will be an opportunity to discuss what’s going to be happening this fall and next year and the funding that’s been allocated or will be allocated. Based on that, we can discuss further with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to residences, students being housed in residences throughout the Northwest Territories, it does fall under the education council and we provide funding to them to offset the costs of students that are being residenced in a community, regional centre or boarding or residence form. Mr. Speaker, this is an area that the Beaufort-Delta needs to look at.

I’m glad the Member is trying to come up with some solutions and ideas. I commend the Member for that and also his riding. We need to work closely with the Beaufort-Delta. If the Member hasn’t approached the Beaufort...