Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I will commit in this House to visit the school in the Member’s riding and other schools as well. That’s one of the commitments that I’ve made. I need to visit all schools, if it’s at all possible during the life of this Assembly, just to see for ourselves what the students and the staff and the resource people and the parents are going through. That’s the commitment I’ve made. Sometime after session we can make arrangements and a time to meet.

Mr. Speaker, that will certainly be part of the planning process. It’s not just the ECE department; it’s also Housing and Health and Social Services — the nurses. We have a variety of professionals living in the communities. We need to form a group within Beaufort-Delta and other regions, where there’ll be Chairs to meet on this particular item, because it is a serious item that we need to deal with. It is a need in the communities, and also it’s our need to have those teachers or nurses placed in the communities.

I’m also meeting with the Chairs of the regional boards in December. That is one...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, we’ve been alerted that one of the communities is having a shortage. There was notice of the closure of a building. The Member already approached me on this particular issue. I did instruct my staff to follow through on it with the local superintendent in the Beaufort-Delta. My staff is working closely with the superintendent and the local DEA to try to resolve that issue.

It is a private contractor that holds the unit, and it is due for closure next month. We’re doing what we can as a department to work with the community to find solutions. It is a development...

On the air quality tests that were initiated by PWS, the report has been done. It has been shared with the Member, I do believe. Maybe I’m mistaken on that. Certainly, those reports were taken into consideration when we were going through this process as being a priority project. I personally, as the Minister, have not seen the document itself. It’s within the Department of PWS. I need to sit down with the Minister of PWS to go through the actual results and the information.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, those are the issues that have been addressed. We did visit the community school. Thanks to MLA Groenewegen for giving us a tour, and also to the principals. That’s part of the capital projects that we will be discussing over the next few days here. There is an education plan underway as well. That is the ongoing work that is happening between our department and PWS. Those are the discussions that will be undertaken here in the House on the capital projects.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Legal Profession Act, be read for the third time. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, we make those arrangements every time we meet with the communities, whether it be the schools or other departments if they come along. We meet with certain resource people. We do initiate a public forum, as well, and community meetings, leadership meetings. So, certainly, those we’ll take into consideration when we visit the community. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, we’ll certainly keep the Members posted, particularly the Member for the Aklavik area. We need to look after our teachers; we need to look after our professionals. And it’s not only us. The NWTTA has also stressed concerns over this. I’ve met with them. So there are all different parties involved in this particular case. Once we make progress, we’ll keep the Members posted on what’s happening, the progression. We’ll hopefully find a solution for this case. Next Monday is approaching already, and we need to deal with that. Mahsi.

I thought I just announced a huge initiative here on the training program.

I think this is a great start for us as a department, the GNWT, the Mine Training Society and also the partnership with the NWT Native Women’s Association. It’s a true partnership, and it will move forward. Again, it’s an 18 week program.

With this accreditation program we’re still waiting for Chef Pierre to get back to my department and discuss further the next level, because this is one area that we’re focusing on as a department. The proposal has been submitted to the Mine Training Society, and they are moving forward...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, we did tour the facility the Member is referring to as having potential for a cooking program. It is one of those programs that is often needed throughout the North and also throughout Canada.

The Member made a statement about the lack of support from the government. Mr. Speaker, we do support all kinds of training programs, apprentices and at the professional level as well. We’re very proud of that. Also, since we met with Chef Pierre, there has been some ongoing discussion within my department, and my department has met with the chef as well. Mahsi.