Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, throughout this session and in the previous session, as well, we did share the highlights of the graduation among the aboriginal groups or even the northern students. It has been very successful to date. Yes, we are currently dealing with a challenge on enrolment and absenteeism in the schools, but we are developing a plan of action to deal with those matters. I did highlight some of the key areas we’ve initiated with providing worthwhile investment into the school boards so they can deal with those enrolment and absenteeism challenges before us. There has been...

Mr. Speaker, this will be part of the discussion that we’re going to be having on the capital projects for future discussion, along with other schools throughout the Northwest Territories. Definitely, this will be part of the discussion we will be having within our department and also the education council for Nahendeh. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Those TSC chargeback costs is a target adjustment required to reflect the new rate structure and to fund the growth in the network, Internet and DCN, usage costs and the implementation of the Strategic Security Initiative. So those are the cost factors. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. The funding overall will be covering some aspects of going to small communities, such as increase in funding to license early childhood programs in small, isolated communities up to $350,000. This way the young children in small, isolated communities can certainly benefit from it. Those are the areas of increase to our funding to deal with small, isolated communities. Mahsi.

With the specific plans of the school specs, we do go through with PWS and also other departments as required. But I can get back to the Member on the specific gymnasium that she’s referring to. Those are the discussions that we continue to have with other departments that are actively involved in this area.

Mr. Speaker, this particular capital plan that we’re talking about, we need to work with the divisional education council as well. Also, I need to work with my colleague the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs with respect to the recreation, the gymnasium area. We have done that in the past where we’ve had communities partnering on a certain expansion in the schools. Those are the discussions that we can certainly have with the Member and also the Member’s leadership at the community level. I think, Mr. Speaker, this particular issue that’s before us, we’ll discuss it further. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. There is an added position, assistant curator position as part of collection and exhibit renewal at the museum, website and multimedia coordinator position also added at the museum. Another position added as an aboriginal student achievement coordinator to deal with the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative. Another position is an administrative officer for an aboriginal language position as the Official Language Implementation Initiative. Mr. Chair, another position as an SFA loan officer position through the Student Financial Assistance Initiative. Another position...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We did send off another letter to the federal Minister of Canadian Heritage in January, this last month, reminding them of the critical stages we’re at to expand the phase two of this particular school. Not only that, but we’re trying to expedite the process. As I highlighted earlier, gymnasiums and other additional administration and learning support and the building services area, that’s the phase two that we’re talking about. At the same time, we are waiting for them to give us the go-ahead.

When I said the discussion is ongoing, we are continuing the discussions with the...

Mr. Chairman, with the child care spaces, we do have approximately 1,810 spaces that we support. Out of that, there are roughly 117 programs across the Northwest Territories. With the School Community Counsellor Program, it has been delivered through, as you know, the college for a number of years. There has been some interest, of course, in restarting that. Those are the areas that we are looking at as we speak. We need to have more discussion in that field. Mahsi.

This week is Heritage Week and each year the City of Yellowknife recognizes one resident for their work preserving our northern heritage. I want to congratulate Yvonne Quick, who is the recipient of the 2009 City of Yellowknife Heritage Award. Over the years she has served on the City of Yellowknife’s Heritage Committee, the Northern Frontier Visitors Association board of directors, the Wildcat Cafe Advisory Committee, the NWT Mining Heritage Society and the Float Plane Fly-in and Air Show committees. She is also the current coordinator of the Arctic Ambassadors and represents the Northwest...