Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize four distinct individuals here in the audience. It’s as part of the Corrections awards that they were recognized this afternoon. I’d like to recognize, first of all, Anthony Beck on receiving the Lifesaving Award; Mr. Gordie Oystrek for receiving the Corrections Exemplary Service Award; Mr. Paul Pearce, also for the Corrections Exemplary Service Award; and last but not least, Mr. Quinn Groenehyde, also with Corrections Exemplary Service Award.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, entitled Annual Report of Official Languages, 2006–2007.

Document 25-16(2), Annual Report of Official Languages, 2006–2007, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, we assist individuals in the communities, whether it be the two parents or single parents, based on their needs and their income.

I will have to get back to the Member on the net versus gross. I don’t have that information in front of me, but certainly, I can work with the Member on the specific area.

We do try to assist all individuals who are in desperate need of funding to cover their programs in the communities — the child care programs. Mahsi.

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, yes, the Member is referencing subsidies for the communities. We do serve 33 communities on the subsidy of the child care services, early childhood programs and services.

Each community has an opportunity to apply for certain program dollars. They’re also entitled to our program dollars. There are federal dollars and Territorial dollars. The communities can apply on top of what we offer as a Territorial government. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, it is important to keep our Members informed of our progress, so I certainly will provide what information I have to date to the Member. Certainly, we’ll keep the Member posted on our upcoming meeting with the community next month.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank the Member for asking that question, because I did commit in the House that my department will follow up working with the community to remedy the issue of office space in the community for three different organizations. Since then, our department has been working with the organizations that have been highlighted here, with the Open Door Society and also the community library and heritage society.

We are making some progress in that area, Mr. Speaker, and there has been contact in the community. That’s what we’ve been doing since our last session. We will continue...

Mr. Speaker, we have to work with the local school boards, and also the organizations, the authorities. They establish their own policies within the school system, and we continue to support them with developing their policies, with their changes.

Within our own ECE department we continue working with them to develop those policies and regulations and different program areas. Mahsi.

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker, we do have policies with the school boards and different authorities at the community level. They establish their own zero-tolerance policies for teachers. It is in the works with each organization in the community. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, the question is more coming down to the Housing Corporation, but we as a department will continue working with that issue. Yes, certainly, I’d like to reiterate I’ll be working with my colleague in the Housing Corporation and other Members. We are open for business, as well.

What we’re doing as a pilot project…. There’s one pilot project that’s on the way, and if another region wants to continue with that pilot project, then certainly we can sit down and discuss that as well. We’re open to that concept, and I’d like to move forward on that. That’s what we’re pursuing right now...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Member’s asking that question. I did mention last week that our department is working with the Housing Corporation on a pilot project in one of the regions. If it’s successful, then we will continue working with other regions on the project itself. We are going with this as a third party, because we don’t get involved with staff housing. But we do what we can to work with the communities to find suitable, affordable housing in the communities.