Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I may have read this backwards. We will consider the committee report first. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge Eileen Erasmus. Eileen has dedicated nearly 20 years to the K'alemi Dene School and to education in the Northwest Territories. She has taught almost every grade and has been an integral part of the growth of K'alemi Dene School. Eileen has demonstrated a consistent commitment to her students, and they know this and can feel it. Former students describe her as an amazing individual, who has been a strong role model for the next generation. On behalf of the people from Ndilo, thank you, Eileen.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to have item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery; item 6, acknowledgements; and item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, dealt with as the next matters on the orders of the day. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a very difficult situation for me. I agree with the Minister that some of these things shouldn't have to be spelled out and shouldn't have to be described in an act for the most part. My issue with this is the Intergovernmental Council, not that I have an issue with the Intergovernmental Council; I have an issue with the lack of membership on the Intergovernmental Council. Although all of our Indigenous groups were given the opportunity to sign a devolution agreement, not all have.

In Dehcho and Akaitcho, we have selected groups that have signed to the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think there are a lot of additions on the recommendations that are not necessary. I believe that I would be satisfied that the Minister has discretion for the simple reason that, if the Minister has discretion, then this House has a discretion. This House here, we are elected Members. We are put in here by our Indigenous governments, the people we represent. We represent Indigenous people. We represent non-Indigenous people. Things like vexatious, frivolous, malicious, I don't think those type of words need to be put inside an act. I think that this is too...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, assuming that the education system is beginning to engage students who are four and five years old, I'd like to ask the Minister if students four and five years old who don't register need to have a viable alternative?

There is no requirement for anyone under six to register, but my question is: if they choose to register at four and five, at that point, the registration is out of the way, are they treated like all other students insofar as attendance goes?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize our interpreters, Maro Sundberg and Tommy Unka. Mahsi.

I am still not clear on, once the person does register, whether or not they have to attend school. I am going to ask the question a little bit differently. How does the funding work? If you have students who are JK and K in your school, I am assuming that it is a per capita funding for students. How does that work? If they register, but don't attend, are they counted in the funding?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Education, considering that early childhood development is a very important way of doing business. I think that the numbers are that the government will save $7 to $10 on every dollar spent today of future money that could be spent on that particular youth or child.

I would like to ask the Minister a question about attendance. My understanding of attendance in junior kindergarten and kindergarten is that, initially, step one is that the students will decide whether or not they are going to attend. It is not compulsory that they attend...