Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We do currently provide funding to the school boards but it is at their discretion if they want to provide pre-kindergarten throughout the summers as the Member has alluded to. Last year this was successful. It was their own initiative. It wasn’t our department saying they should have that. We provide funding for that, but this could be also part of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative because it covers all areas of the Northwest Territories, the students, and junior kindergarten has been an option that’s been identified through that venue. There is ongoing...

One thing that we can possibly look at through the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative is the training aspect where we’ve had some requests in the past for training. We’ve provided in-kind contributions. This is an area we could possibly look at. But when we talk about the huge regional hand games tournament, it’s very difficult to put money towards that where it’s much broader. We want to focus on the youth that are getting involved in the hand games demonstration, hand games training. That’s an area we could probably explore.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Within the traditional and cultural activities, and pertaining to that is also language, we provide over $12 million specifically in those areas. The funding is allocated to the school boards, as well, and at the community level to deal with the cultural preservation and promotion of the culture. The money is available in that respect. It is a group that deals with the funding as well.

When it comes to hand games tournaments that are happening in almost every region, there have been a lot of requests that have come to our attention. We always refer them to the community...

Mr. Speaker, there’s always an ongoing discussion interdepartmentally, whether it be MACA, PWS, Housing, and within our Education department and other departments, as well, that may require whether it be apprentices or training on the job, and we do what we can as the department to assist in those areas because we do have the funding allocated under apprenticeship and an on-the-job training as well. Mr. Speaker, I’ll continue to work with those departments and strengthen the working relationships that we have and identifying those key areas of interest that are out there in the Northwest...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Those are the areas that we need to explore with each department. Each department has their own mandate. They have their own goals and objectives to deal with the communities, whether it comes to apprenticeship or training on the job at the community level and also employment. So we need to gather that information. I can definitely share that with the Member as well. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, again, that process is before us. I will be informing Members of the update on that. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how I can get around this. I did commit in the House that this is part of the process of the new initiatives that are coming up. I do support the students in the education system 100 percent. Definitely, again, I have to reiterate that Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative strategy will guide us through that venue. Mr. Speaker, we will do what we can because this is the voice of the Northwest Territories. It would have handprints of the people of the Northwest Territories. It is not coming down from the top down as the face-to-face meeting and getting their...

This is, as I stated, the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative is a great strategy that’s out there and is getting a lot of positive feedback from the community members. Again, it’s for the whole Northwest Territories. It will reflect on how we deliver programs in the Northwest Territories on the education factor, whether it be junior kindergarten or other areas. It will give us some guidance within our department to move forward on various initiatives.

Again the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiatives focus is on the sector of what’s happening within the education system. I’d like to find out the results of that discussion at the forum. That gave us guidance as we explore different areas. Whether it be junior kindergarten that the Member is referring to within the schools in the Northwest Territories during the summer as an option, those are the areas that we will likely explore once we get the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiatives finalized and then recommendations will come out. It does reflect overall on the department as well.

Whether it be the tournaments, the Vancouver demonstrations -- and we’ve sponsored those participants to be at the function to demonstrate what the hand games are all about so we can show the world -- those are areas we can sponsor through the GNWT as a whole that we’ve done.

With respect to the Dene hand games in various regions, in the past those organizations have been very successful conducting those events with or without the help of organizations or sponsors. Like the Member has stated, they have raised money. This is an area especially with the youth that I like to focus on those areas.