Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, we do have data. We’ve conducted a survey in the past and we also have an MOU with the mining industry and they’ve identified how many apprentices will be required, how many positions will be required, training programs and the local employment. Just recently the Rio Tinto Diavik, they’ve hired on I believe it’s nine additional apprentices. That’s above and beyond what they’ve committed to. So kudos goes to the team. But others, the corporations and the bands have identified what’s going to be required in the next five to 10 years down the road. We do have the information on that...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In November 2010 I went to Ottawa to meet with Minister Finley to talk about the federal government’s plan to continue the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Program. At that time, Mr. Speaker, she did not make any commitments.

Minister Finley explained that the federal government was focussing on the implementation of the federal framework for Aboriginal and economic development. Mr. Speaker, this framework includes the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Training Strategy. The focus is on demand-driven skills development and fostering partnerships with private sectors.

There are...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. February 21st to February 25th marks Education Week. This is an important time of the year when we celebrate the academic achievements of students across the Northwest Territories and also recognize the many educators who support and strengthen our educational system.

Since last September I have had the pleasure of hosting forums in various regional centres as part of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative. Through these forums, I have met incredibly talented youth. These bright students have courage and determination and are committed to not only for their own...

Mr. Speaker, again, we support our students across the Northwest Territories through the education boards that we fund on an annual basis. It has been very successful to date. Again, it is at their discretion to allocate funding, if they wish to, on pre-kindergarten, whether it be during kindergarten in various areas that they want to pursue. They have been successful to date. I must commend them on that. They continue to pursue those initiatives. We support them, as well, because we provide funding. We have to work with that. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I am glad the Member is supporting this very important Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative. This is a very important piece of work that is before us as a territorial government and also my Department of Education, Culture and Employment. What I am referencing is the information that is being gathered from across the Northwest Territories will guide us as we move forward in the next step. What the Member is referring to is part of the process, the discussion that is ongoing. We have heard on junior kindergarten at that level, as well, in the forums. Mr. Speaker, this...

All students are funded. We provide funding to all the school boards, and at their discretion they can provide various programs as they have done in the past, like last year for example. So we do provide funding for all students.

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...