Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, those are the discussions that will likely take place when we seek out information on SFA from the students and from the general public at large. We are going to be waiting for general response that we receive and then move forward on that, what needs to be changed within our current policy based on what has been asked from the general public, if we could pursue that. We will be waiting for those types of responses from the public. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular issue has been brought to our attention about the student that’s at Fort Smith Aurora College taking a program and being subsidized through our SFA programming. From what’s been shared with us, the funding has not been adequate, according to them, but we did receive some information on what they’re eligible for through SFA programming. I believe there has been additional funding assets and a child care subsidy, as well, through family allowance, I believe.

Mr. Speaker, after child care and all the expenses being paid, there is a small amount of surplus that...

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...

Mr. Speaker, I already did commit to visiting those students who are willing to sit down at the Thebacha Campus. I am probably going there the first week of April when we are having a tour of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative in Hay River. We figure we might attach a trip to Fort Smith. We are still working on the logistics, but once that is confirmed, we will let the Members know. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, over the years we have looked at our policy, our programming on child care subsidy units. There have been some changes to the policy. We do look at these regulations that are before us. If we need to make changes that reflect on the needs of the students, then we have looked at those in the past as well. Since we are going through the SFA programming, we can relook at our child care subsidy, as well, to see where the challenges are.

Mr. Speaker, I did commit in this House already about the SFA programming. SFA does cover a vast area of subsidy programming for students. There are...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Wednesday, March 9, 2011, I will move that Bill 3, Electronic Transactions Act, be read for the first time.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In support of northern victims of crime, I am pleased to announce the NWT Department of Justice implementation of the Victim Notification Program.

The NWT Victim Notification Program is designed to give victims of crime information about the convicted offenders who have harmed them. Many of the provinces, as well as the federal corrections service, offer programs like this. Victim notification programs are designed to give victims the information they need to plan for their safety and assist with the healing process. Information that is provided to the victim includes things...