Kevin A. Menicoche

As I indicated, the aboriginal students in our smaller communities are missing 41 days of school per year with the equivalence up to about two years of schooling by the time they reach grade 9. I know that the Education department and our school boards consider this very seriously and I think they coupled some of the monitoring stats, like the Alberta Achievement Test, which shows that our use of English is being impacted because they’re missing a lot of that. So what kind of projects are being undertaken this fiscal year and planned for the next year, in terms of addressing this concern?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to follow up on the CBC special report this morning about the test results that show reading and math levels are still low in the NWT communities. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education some questions on the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative that we have going. I know that it started last year. So if he could tell me just a bit about the program and what initiatives are slated for this coming year, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

As a Regular Member, I certainly would like to see some of the measurable results. I know there’s only been one semester this year, but certainly if the Minister can commit to continuing to keep us informed of the progress. If the Minister has any information with regard to my particular riding and with the Dehcho Divisional Board and some of the progress or initiatives they have planned, if he could share that with me.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to go to item 7, recognition of visitors in the gallery, on the orders. Thank you.

---Unanimous consent granted.

Does the Minister plan to meet with the Yellowknives or any of the impacted First Nations’ groups in the near future, today or tomorrow or the weekends coming, like, as soon as possible? Because this is a very controversial issue and impacts not only those First Nations but the precedent that it sets for all First Nations across our Territory. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement. I indicated my support for treaty rights to be recognized by our government in terms of hunting caribou in the banned zone and the Bathurst herd. I don’t think anybody wants to see a return to the levels of harvest that had happened, but there is a question of subsistence hunting. I would like to ask the Minister about that. Will he consider subsistence hunting? I’m not talking about lifting the entire ban in this hunting zone, but allowing subsistence harvesting to our treaty people in those areas. Thank you.

Sorry; Nottingham -- thank you very much -- ruled by Prince John. This was a time when you could not hunt without then the consent of the Prince, or face penalties or even jail. This is what our aboriginal chiefs and our aboriginal people face with this temporary ban on hunting the Bathurst herd in the protected zone.

It occurred to me, Mr. Speaker, that what we are talking about is penalizing and even jailing our aboriginal people for doing what they have always done: hunt for food, subsistence living, a way of life; in short, the single biggest definition of aboriginal culture. Regretfully...

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to recognize my sister Lorraine Menicoche-Moses in the gallery. Welcome, and you have seen how your younger brother works. Mahsi cho.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In all cases of reduced populations, maybe be it fisheries, treaty rights are always upheld. In this case, I’d like to ask the Minister not to lift the ban but to allow treaty people to hunt at a subsistence level at a minimal cost to the herd, but at least continue their treaty right to hunt and fish on our land. Thank you.

Yesterday I spoke about an opportunity for consultation at the meetings in Fort Simpson. There was missed opportunity. Has the Minister met with the impacted First Nations’ groups this week at all, or does he plan to meet with them at all to discuss the very, very important issue of treaty rights and subsistence harvesting for our aboriginal people? Because this ban, this law will put our aboriginal people in jail and that’s not what we’re looking for, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.