Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work with the challenges that we’re faced with, with the retailers here in the North. It’s a challenge throughout the North, and also nationally. So we will continue to improve our services and programs. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Hon. Member for Range Lake, that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi.

Surely. That information will certainly be taken into consideration, as we do have different sectors on the committee. They provide various inputs from different jurisdictions, so certainly that will be available.

Mahsi.

We do have a strategy in place that’s been conducted since last year: the N.W.T. Literacy Strategy summative evaluation. It consists of our department — Education, Culture and Employment — and also Health and Social Services, Aurora College, N.W.T. Literacy Council, non-government organizations, literacy service providers, aboriginal organizations, and industries. There is a strategy in place that our department is pursuing, and recommendations are being brought forward. The target date for completion of the draft N.W.T. Literacy Strategy is April 2008. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 8, 2008, I will move that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Employment Standards Act, be read for the first time. Mahsi.

As other Members would indicate, we value input from Regular Members on any initiative that we pursue as a government, because we are doing this for Northwest Territories. This strategy, as I stated, is in a draft format, and it will be coming through our department to review. Prior to that happening, this information will certainly be shared with Members, because we would like to share in the feedback they receive from the communities they represent. Mahsi.

Mahsi. I appreciate the Member’s question on this specific topic. It is very important to our government system and also to the N.W.T. as a whole.

I have met with Mr. Scott Murray doing data analysis and also a survey that has been conducted. There is really a lot of helpful information within the package. This is all preliminary. I just met with him last week. Certainly, this is a document that we as a department can work with, along with Mr. Bromley and other Members, to just move forward on this. We do provide various literacy programs and funding in the 33 communities we serve. We are...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with these kind of incidents, there are various parties involved. The coroner area, their office. Also the Department of Health and Social Services and our Department of Justice. Certainly I will be working closely with my colleague and also the coroner and see what they have on file. Again, I committed to, and I am willing to share that information with Mr. Krutko. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we’ve outlined in the strategic plan for the 16th Assembly, this can certainly be one of the priorities; it will be up to the Members here to set priorities. But I’m more than willing to sit down with the Member and other Members who are requesting meetings with Ministers on various issues and concerns. This could be one of them that we’ll certainly meet on. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated, there is discussion. They are taking place within my department and working with the day care facilities on identifying the needs of the day care facilities. This will be an ongoing discussion as we speak now. I am hoping that we can see a review document by early in the new year somewhat integrated through the strategy planning that we are strategizing for the 16th Assembly. Mahsi.