Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, that particular area that has been addressed by the Member, we did look into that where individual seniors, if they own a home, then they’re eligible for the seniors home fuel subsidy. There is a criteria for that where they have to own the home in order to qualify. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we will take that into consideration. In 2007, we did have an increase of 30 percent into our programming dollars. So we do continue to improve and enhance our programming. We also have improved early childhood programming, family literacy, outdoor play space, nutrition and staff training. Those are just some of the programs that are available to the communities. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, we are hoping to complete the review of the particular program we’re hoping by this fall and then we will present it to the standing committee. Then it will be part of the business planning cycle for next year.

Mr. Speaker, when I said there was a review, maybe some regions haven’t conducted their reviews yet on school operations and the overall school review. So if Tu Nedhe want their review, whether it be one community or two communities, that can be requested by the divisional education council, and working with the MLA and with my department we can initiate that discussion. We do have somebody that is specialized in that area that does go into the community to review those. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, we’re always very cautious on when we deal with those matters at hand, especially when the review comes into play. Once it’s produced, then there will be plenty of discussion to take place, and we will be keeping the Members up to speed on what the next step would be. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.

Really it comes up to the two departments and LHOs and organizations that we need to work with. If we can expedite the process, we are certainly open for that. As long as we have our ducks lined up and the transition period is as smooth as possible, we’ll take those into consideration as well. The Housing Minister is here, as well, listening to the process.

Mr. Speaker, we are not picking on this individual, the student we are talking about here. We are talking about the program that is being offered here in the Northwest Territories in April, three weeks after the one that is starting up in NAIT. That will cost us over $4,000, Mr. Speaker. That $4,000 can go into our campuses here in the Northwest Territories as opposed to going south. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

That will be two years from now in 2012. So that’s the reason why we’re doing this school review. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. This particular area has received a lot of focus for the last year or two. We did make some changes there when Members in the past approached us about how we should deal with it and gave us advice. One bit of advice, of course, was increasing the threshold, which we’ve done successfully. I believe it was $10,000 across the board.

We continue to change the program. As the Member alluded to, we’re trying to do things differently. Yes, we are. We are making change as we go along. This particular area is on household income. The Member is correct on that. I did instruct my...

Mr. Speaker, again, we do provide these apprenticeship programs in the campuses that we have here in the Northwest Territories. We do support them 100 percent as much as we can. This particular student has a great opportunity to take the program in April. The Member is referring to March. There is one in April that is close to home, close to the family that can certainly take on the opportunity. Those students are taking on other courses. There are other courses down south as well that they can take on, but the fee structure is different in the Apprenticeship Program that we have in place...