Jackson Lafferty

Obviously this is an excellent idea. Even when I was in high school, we had different professionals coming to the community, for example, bankers, talking about accounting. This is an area I need to share with the DEAs and DECs. It’s their school, as well, and I need to work with them. I’m sure they will be more than receptive because they are always looking for ideas on how we can have educational awareness around accounting, around banking. I’m glad the Member has given us some ideas that we can generate within DECs and DEAs. I will be bringing that to their attention. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. Part of the pilots that I referred to before, there are a couple of initiatives that we’re undertaking. Elders in school and also resiliency programming. We wanted to test pilot that into some of the small, isolated communities. One of them, obviously, is Ndilo, and supporting self-regulation programming through specialized equipment.

So those are just a couple of initiatives that are on the go. I’m sure there will be others as well. As we’ve done in the past with the family resource initiative that we’ve undertaken and building on that, working on health and social services...

Mahsi. The new legislation has amended sections 34 and 45 of the Education Act to require educators and school administrators to strengthen policies and procedures, a law that involves bullying and safety. That’s the very reason why we’ve developed a Safe and Caring Schools Initiative and having the DEAs and DECs having their own protocols, having their own policies and regulations to deal with their discipline as well.

When it comes to bullying, it is a priority of this government and we continue to push that forward with all the education bodies across the Northwest Territories. Mahsi.

Madam Chair, since we’ve been in discussion with CKLB, capital infrastructure has been brought to our attention on numerous occasions. Obviously the federal government plays a key part in this.

My department, obviously, provided support. So the organization can submit a contribution proposal to CanNor. We’re providing support at that level, even as far as developing a business case proposal to be submitted to CanNor. That’s what my department is offering, as much support to deal with those matters at the federal level. We’re behind CKLB when we’re speaking to the federal government. When I met...

Mahsi. As I stated, the parents are also engaged when it comes to bullying because they need to be involved, they need to be engaged and there is a standard process that’s in play with the DECs and DEAs. Whenever there is a bullying incident that happens, we involve the parents, we involve the educators, the community members, even the community leaders to that matter.

So those are just some of the processes that we are currently following, and we provide resources to the school boards as well. Some of the resources, obviously, are Creating a safe School Environment, some of the pamphlets...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. When I spoke about it last week, I did indicate that I had met with the chair of the NCS that looks after CKLB. It was made clear that obviously both he and I want CKLB back online because it is the voice of the North.

My department has been contributing, for a number of years now, our portion of $202,000. We’ll continue to do that. That’s our commitment. Obviously, through the federal government there is approximately $464,000 that goes to the CKLB. There have been some challenges, obviously, on the reporting mechanism.

I did meet with Shelly Glover, as I indicated last week...

Mr. Speaker, it makes me very proud to share an important milestone with this Legislative Assembly. At the Truth and Reconciliation Commission event in Inuvik in 2011, I committed our government to educating students and teachers in the Northwest Territories about the history and legacy of the residential schools.

For the year following that TRC event, Education, Culture and Employment staff worked closely with the Nunavut government, the Legacy of Hope Foundation and, in particular, former residential school students, to complete a resource package of teaching and learning materials.

In October...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I believe my deputy answered that, where through our partner from the southern institution it is an accredited program that’s transferrable to other jurisdictions across Canada. Dealing with universities from southern institutions, they are recognized from other provincial jurisdictions as well. Once we deliver that program here in the Northwest Territories, through our affiliated university partners, they are recognized in other places as well. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. This obviously has got a lot of attention, how we best expend our expenditure on to the school boards directly to the most in need, the students with special needs.

We did our part with the overall review. It is on our website as well. The review also told us that we should not make any changes to the general approach of inclusive schooling. There is a need to improve the accountability, the measures, increase educator training and a standardized approach of inclusive schooling practices across the NWT. This is an area that has been brought to our attention. We do have an...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. The ALBE, when we did the review, there’s been a considerable discussion with various stakeholders and we want to get the actual feedback from the people in order to make the changes to our programming within the college, other organizations that deliver this core programming. So there’s been a lot of discussion in this area. What led to that is, obviously, part of the Skills for Success is another initiative that we’ve undertaken to deal with adults and post-secondary education and skills training program supports and also Pathways. That also includes the ALBE programming...