Jackson Lafferty

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. As you are probably aware, over the years we had a number of major infrastructures in the past. Now that we’re going through another process of infrastructure debates these coming few months, obviously those high priorities will be brought forward. At the end of the day, the decision will be made by the committee that’s been established to deal with the capital infrastructure. We as the department bring forward our priority that we feel should be addressed within the schools or at the community level. We’ll continue to push that forward as part of the process. Like I said, at...

When we talk about healthy foods, obviously we provide funding towards this initiative as well. Approximately $650,000 we distribute on an annual basis for healthy eating programming in the Northwest Territories. We give the funding directly to the schools, so it’s part of their initiative. There is already funding in place. My department will be working with the organization on how can we best move this forward as well. We have to keep in mind that we have to deal with all the schools across the Northwest Territories as well. Then again, there is funding in place already, and we will continue...

At this point they’re not filled yet. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This is one of the national awards that have been recognized throughout the Northwest Territories, and I’ve been trying to get some more information on that since the Member addressed that information to me. We are doing what we can as a department to recognize those talented individuals or organizations in the Northwest Territories. We’re working with those organizations to make some sort of recognition and even go further beyond that. Mahsi.

Mr. Chair, there are five positions, employment service officers, and one employment service officer for a PY in Behchoko is recorded as North Slave. There’s also an assistant deputy minister position that is added to the aid and review of supervision of corporate services. That’s Mr. Lovely here. Three French language translators are responsible for the implementation of the department’s French language operating plan. Mahsi.

As I stated earlier, we have made significant improvements within my department on those recommendations that were brought to my attention. As a department,we are in compliance at all levels, and all annual inspections are completed in all licenced daycares and also all the day homes in the Northwest Territories. Those are front and foremost importance for my department to follow through with all the inspections that are happening. It’s in place, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Chair, there are nine positions. Five are new and four are from the existing pool that we have within Education, Culture and Employment. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has approved five traditional Aboriginal names for the Mackenzie River under the NWT Geographical and Community Names Policy.

As the department responsible for community and geographical names in the Northwest Territories, we place a special emphasis on traditional Aboriginal geographical names as they are important to the culture, history and languages of the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie River is the largest and longest river system in Canada and continues to serve as a transportation corridor...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. It is very true that education, obviously, is a lifelong journey. It’s learning for life and when the Member talked about how we treat individuals, that we should be treating them with dignity, I fully support him on that level that we need to treat each other respectfully and with dignity as well. We’ve encountered that through the Income Security Program as an example that we’ve improved in so many ways of our professionals, how they interact with the public audience and vice versa. So we take that very serious.

Social challenges, obviously they’re always before us whether...

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. First and foremost, obviously, the income security, improved programs. The Member asked if there have been any improvements, whether it be getting people off income security. We’ve had some changes with income security. Since 2009 we had approximately 3,400 cases and in 2013 it went down to 3,100 cases. There has been a drop of 8 percent over the last five years, approximately. That is a substantial change in our view. Obviously, we want to have a higher margin as well. That’s our target that we’re going to push forward with.

We are creating five employment service officers...