Jackson Lafferty

The other departments probably have their own plans to deal with employment in small communities. We deal with apprentices, local employment and various GNWT NGOs in the different areas. Within ECE I can speak specifically to that information we have, that we do have regional training centres in the communities. Committees are being established to deal with those matters at hand. We’re identifying the priorities on the hiring and training where it’s needed based on community needs. These are the coordinators at the community level and regional level that deal with those matters. We do have a...

Again, I commit in the House to provide that information, Mr. Speaker. The $20,000 the Member is referring to, the length of time the service was provided, we can provide that information to the Members. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, that contract has been awarded to provide those clinical services within the corrections. Again, I would have to get back to the Member on that, but we do provide those services at the corrections to deal with those inmates that require those special services.

As I stated in this House, we do have an individual that is under training. The individual will be completed this summer. She will be a qualified psychologist within a facility. We are looking forward to that, but there is a contract being provided. The services are being provided to the inmates within the corrections. Mr...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I do have several people to recognize, so if you indulge me. First of all I’d like to recognize in the gallery the Northern Teachers’ Association who is here with us: Mr. David Reid, president of the NWT Association; Dave Roebuck, the executive director of the NWT Teachers’ Association; Emile Hatch, executive director of the Nunavut Teachers’ Association; and Katherine Mackwood, president of the Yukon Teachers’ Association.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to also recognize the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board and Official Languages Board here with us today. If I can read...

Mr. Speaker, with any request that comes forward to our attention, we do look at our policies and we make changes to the effect where it benefits the communities. This is an area respecting the seniors fuel subsidy. I made a commitment to look at that piece of work. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This has been brought to our attention within my department and we did raise this issue in the House yesterday. I’ve committed in the House that I’d like my department to look at this area and how we get around it so that the elders are not penalized. We talked about the residence issues where individuals may be there for short periods of time. We also talked about other areas where elders are probably 90 years old and more, and how we can get around the system. I will follow through with this within my department.

This may have been addressed by the Rural and Remote Communities committee along with other departments. I can follow through within Education, Culture and Employment on what kind of dialogue has been transferred in that area and transpired in that area. I’ll have to get back to the Members on that. Specifically if there has been discussion on what the Member is referring to.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular area has been discussed amongst the departments and through the Rural and Remote Communities committee that has been dealing with this particular initiative. Through that we have identified funding for small employment into the communities. That’s an area that we have targeted and we continue to push forward with that.

Mr. Speaker, I did commit in the House I will provide that information. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have the detailed information with me here, but I can find out from my department exactly where things stand with that particular contract. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.