Julie Green

Thank you for your responses. Nothing further.

I wonder if the Minister could tell us what the ratio of funding is for early childhood development initiatives, ages birth to three, versus the funding available for school?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, this is a more general question about how organizations that have contribution agreements are accountable for their spending to the government: can the Minister just give us an idea of how that happens? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I have great hope that JK is going to improve student readiness for school and ultimately their success. I am sure the Minister does, too. How is the development of students in JK going to be evaluated and when? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for putting me back on the list. Mr. Chair, I note that on page 5, $181,000 is allocated to AVENS. I wonder if the witnesses could tell us what the specific use of this money will be? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to reflect on the debate we had a year ago about the introduction of junior kindergarten. Much of the discussion at that time concerned funding, but I also talked about the impact junior kindergarten would have on existing early childhood development programs. I was concerned that parents would have fewer choices for their four-year-olds. In fact, a year later, that is the case here in Yellowknife. I'm also concerned that pouring resources into JK has diminished what's available for children up to three years old.

Mr. Speaker, the introduction of junior...

Yes, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I am highly unhappy that we are being asked to authorize an expenditure for which we do not have a plan, despite the fact that a bilateral agreement has been signed. The Minister has been holding out on us in sharing this information, and now we know why. The spending that he contemplates does not further the mandate objective, and doesn't do anything about availability or affordability of childcare. So now that we have this information in public, I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tomorrow. In the meantime, I would like to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, it's my understanding that there are three new positions, and obviously they wouldn't be worth $2 million, so what is the balance of this fund being used for? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, it's my understanding that the school was anyway fairly full and then, once there were 50 or 60 junior kindergarten students added to that, then it was untenable. One of the good things about our system of government is that we can do supplementary appropriation of this kind and be a little more nimble in response to the school's needs rather than having to wait until the fall to the next capital plan, which then of course wouldn't come into effect until a year from now. Those are my comments. Nothing further. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 15, 2018, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Great Slave, that, notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on March 15, 2018, it shall be adjourned until Thursday, May 24, 2018; and further, that at any time prior to May 24, 2018, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House...