Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I guess part of the process would be for those students and also the community members who are interested in having a four-year degree-granting program delivered in the Northwest Territories, then that message can be delivered through the college, the venue. In order to make that happen, our legislation has to change as well.

Currently, we have three college campuses that currently deliver a diploma program, two years, and then they either continue with a third and fourth year degree social work or an option for them to pursue the workforce area. That has happened in the...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I just want to speak on some of the key events that took place within this realm of the Official Languages Act.

I think it’s important that since we’re talking about official languages, I’m going to speak in Tlicho.

[Translation] Mr. Chair, before I begin I would like to take a moment to thank those of my colleagues who use their official language in this House. I also want to thank my mother, who made sure that I spoke my mother tongue. Without her persistence I would not speak fluently. This is important in this conversation today: the role our parents play in making sure we...

Mahsi. The program that we’re currently delivering, the Social Work Diploma Program, is working effectively and efficiently. We’re graduating students. Beyond that they’re going to southern institutions to get their degree programming and then they’re moving back to the North to work for us. We have internship programs where we’ve hired all these students as well.

So, it is a very successful diploma program. We’re doing really well with our college programming. There’s always room for improvement. This is an area that we are currently exploring. Mahsi.

As I stated, this is an area that the college is fully aware. We’re currently delivering a bachelor of education through our southern partners, and even through the Social Work Program, the diploma program…(inaudible)… southern institution along with other degree-granting programs with our southern institutions. We don’t have the legislation to grant the degrees in the Northwest Territories at this point, but this is an area that the college, I’m fully aware, is exploring, having a survey to the students and community members on which programs should be delivered as a degree-granting program...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, this weekend there’s going to be hand games in Behchoko. This is going to be an annual game. There are going to be 19 communities in the hand games: Behchoko, Whati, Gameti, Detah, Ndilo, Lutselk’e, Deline, Tulita, Fort Good Hope, Colville Lake, Norman Wells, Hay River Reserve, Fort Smith, Wrigley, Fort Simpson, Bushie River, Alberta; Chateh, Alberta; Meander, Alberta; Ross River, Yukon. Those are the teams that are going to be competing in the hand games in Behchoko tomorrow.

I know there are other teams that still have to register, but there is...

As I stated, these are the discussions that we’re currently having with the people who are involved, whether it be Dechinta, the college or my department. In order to push through legislation within this House, there has to be considerable consultation. It won’t just happen at the snap of a finger, Mr. Speaker. So, those are discussions we are currently having.

As I stated, there is a process in place. Yes, I may have mentioned four times the process. It’s very important to have a process in place to deliver those key messages, key deliveries into our legislation. Mahsi.

As indicated earlier, we are working very closely with the Dechinta stakeholder, the owner of Dechinta. I just met with her at the Skills for Success symposium. We talked about the process; we talked about the business planning process; we talked about the legislation, how there has to be a process in play. I did mention to her that the college is working very closely with her, so there is a process in place in order to make those changes in this House. So, time is of the essence.

Those are the processes that we continue to work with the stakeholders. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled “Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission 2015 Corporate Plan.” Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go back on the orders of the day to item 5, please.

---Unanimous consent granted

Mr. Speaker, obviously we’re at the end of our budget session. In order for this to happen, we have to deal with the stakeholders. It’s not only Dechinta, it’s Aurora College and other organizations that need to have their input as well. So, more than likely it won’t happen during the life of this Assembly. But in the transition period for the next Assembly, this is a discussion that more than likely will happen. Mahsi.