Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have several O and M questions that I just wanted to note. Given the time, I move that we report progress.

---Carried

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We know how important the first three years are in a child’s life. That is when they build the foundation for their future learning and growth. Responsibility for early childhood development is shared between two GNWT departments and Health Canada. In fact, Health Canada is the main funder of one of the best early childhood programs in this territory. I refer to the Open Door Society in my home community. It was founded 17 years ago and is supported by a very dedicated volunteer board. The Open Door has five staff who run programs for children up to age 12, from nine in the...

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Just with regard to airports, I know that we’ve made some significant headway with some of the small communities in my riding in terms of infrastructure and some runway lighting issues. I’d certainly like to continue to ensure that they are followed up. Begging the committee’s indulgence, I do want to speak about the Trout Lake Airport construction. It’s a capital issue but it’s kind of stalled right now. I believe the government’s going to be taking over controlling the contract. The concern from the community is that they don’t lose out. The concern for me...

I’ll certainly look to the ASA Initiative to track it properly and then do a good assessment, because I know that in our schools in the smaller communities, especially at the district, you see the loss of four positions, but a 0.5 position is a huge decrease in the very, very small communities at a time when we look to our education system and want to utilize as many teachers as we can. Having a reduction, even though it’s based on formula, it still impacts our school. I look forward to the progress of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative.

Has the department been tracking why the student numbers have decreased at all? Is it the older age group? Is it the younger age group? What efforts are they taking to analyze this, and maybe if there are missing children from school, to perhaps get them back in school. What is the cause of these numbers and the reductions? Thank you.

I think it was last fall or last spring, I think, we lost one of our library proponents that moved out of the community so I think that file did go silent for awhile, but it’s certainly still important for Fort Simpson and I look forward to the Minister’s commitment to continue to follow up and work to a better solution for Fort Simpson. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just in regard to 10-19 and community library services, it’s still the focus of the community of Fort Simpson to get back to a fully functioning library, and I continue to pursue this initiative. I was just wondering, since I last raised it, how far Education, Culture and Employment have explored and worked with the community organization in addressing this concern.

Thank you very much. Earlier the Minister had said that two communities will pilot family resource centres this year. How long is he planning to run that and also what is the long-range forecast? Is it to run them in all of our small and remote communities as well, Mr. Chair?

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I will be voting in favour of this motion because I am looking for some change and re-evaluation, and even though the motion seems extreme to some Members, that I believe it’s a statement from Members of this side of this House that we cannot go on with the status quo and it should be at least re-evaluated working with our committee system and have a good look at just how we’re doing business. It is a concern in my communities and in my riding, as well, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is the exact area that I would like to explore further. We have to commit at least some planning dollars to look at these two schools in these two communities so that we can make a good case at the capital planning fall time budget session. I would like to ask the Minister if he can at least do that and have a good assessment of those schools in the capital planning process this fall. Mahsi.