Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the serious issues of low employment in the smaller communities and the need to address this issue. I have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Recognizing that this is a government-wide issue, does the Minister agree that addressing the low employment rates in the small communities is the responsibility of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment? Thank you.

That’s good. I know the CTS is going to be opening a shop, I think, after so many years of having a shop in Fort Resolution. Deninu School closed and we’re having an opening in November. Also, I guess because I’m aware that my concern has been trying to find space and include some sort of a career technology studies for the high school students in Lutselk’e. With the information that the Minister has provided me, I will contact the schools and proceed that way.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided]

...NWT where all the communities have employment rates below 40 percent. Tu Nedhe is one of them. The average employment rate in both communities of Tu Nedhe is 37 percent. Mr. Speaker, this government must clearly understand that setting goals to increasing employment rates in smaller communities will ultimately make the whole Territory more prosperous. As we know, the large communities in the NWT are functioning well, with employment rates at 65 to 80 percent.

Mr. Speaker, the small communities employment rates were at 50 to 60 percent...

Just shifting gears for a minute; high school career and technology studies. I was wondering if there’s a plan to put high school career and technology studies into all high schools.

I feel that this is a good place for capital for daycares. I think that the students that are starting kindergarten that have gone through daycare and have been in some preschool programs that run usually out of daycares come into the school quite advanced and ready to take on kindergarten when the kindergarten age comes around and they go into the schools and so on. Because of the importance of this to education, if the daycares were to be somehow incorporated into the envelope of the schools in these communities, would the department consider looking at capital costs of providing daycares to...

Mr. Chairman, with the amount of electronic waste that’s being produced in the world, I was wondering if there has been smaller components technology that can be added to the current stuff which is, in essence, evergreening the other computers and so on without actually changing the entire component. Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I’m finished questions on page 5-4. I’d like to ask questions on page 5-7, if that’s okay with committee.

Thank you. Just one more question on that. Does the Minister anticipate that the government or departments will ever be able to catch up with deferred maintenance items?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we all know, low employment rates is a serious issue in small communities, a longstanding issue in the small communities. For some certainty, I would like to know if this Minister can commit to taking a lead with all these plans and strategies that are in place and providing information to this House as to the progress of those plans and strategies. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I feel that this government should play a lead role. Can the Minister commit to developing a plan that addresses the issue of low employment rates in the smaller communities before the end of this government? Thank you.