Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Bill 65, An Act to Amend the Safety Act, be read for the third time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following two documents, entitled “Skills 4 Success – 10-Year Strategic Framework” and “Government of the Northwest Territories 2014-2015 Annual Report on Official Languages.” Mahsi.

Mahsi. I believe in early investment. That’s why we’ve invested tremendously in early childhood development over the years and we’ll continue to do so. When it comes to the child care benefits versus the daycare, the subsidy that we currently provide has been working over a number of years. There’s always room for improvement as well. These are discussions that obviously we need to have with the child care operators, with the organizations that we work with across the Northwest Territories and also interdepartmental. The Income Support Program obviously provides those subsidies and we’ve made...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The universal affordable daycare feasibility study that’s been requested by this House has been undertaken and has been tabled in May-June 2015. The Member is correct on that. There is a lot of information as part of the package. It’s a comprehensive review of the analysis of universal child care.

With any changes that are forthcoming, recommendations that have been brought forward, obviously the 18th Assembly government will have to deal with it. We only have another day of session.

This is an area that has been brought to our attention, the cost factor, the ripple effects...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 45, An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act, be read for the third time. Mahsi.

Mahsi. The Member alluded to the universal affordable daycare, the feasibility study that we’ve initiated, and obviously some of the obstacles and the challenges in a way where in order to meet the demands of the NWT we need to double the size of our manpower, the resource people that we have. So we’re working with the college to identify those needs in the communities. So the college does provide those opportunities and we’ll continue to push that forward.

Again, we have to work with organizations on what their demands are, what their needs are and provide that information. Now we’re working...

Mahsi. With any changes that we make to contribution agreements, obviously it increases the cost factor as well. So that needs to be seriously taken into consideration. We’ve gone through the capital infrastructure just last week and this week and now we’re at the final stages of our session. Again, the recommendations fall to our attention. They will be laid out for the 18th Assembly government. They will be a full force government for the next four years. They’ll decide what to do if there are going to be any changes to the contribution agreement or moving forward on this affordable...

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the Skills 4 Success 10-Year Strategic Framework. This framework capitalizes on the skills, knowledge and talents of the people of the Northwest Territories, the number one resource behind our economy and sustainable communities.

Over the past year, we engaged with many stakeholders for input and feedback on the development of the framework. We met with business, industry, Aboriginal governments, the federal government, non-governmental organizations, youth, job seekers, communities and education partners. Their collective knowledge helped identify new...

I’m just reiterating that it’s been two years in the making. I have stated that July 2016 is the date that has been given to them. Two years in the making. Within that two years there have been several meetings where the Member may not be fully aware of. I have the facts. I have the information here that I can share with the Member if he wishes. These are the dates that I have that my department has met with them. Again, we are working with them. We just met with them last week to try and find some alternative solutions. My department is working with the YK Daycare Association and will...

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.