Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Human Resources. I would like to follow up on some of the thoughts in my Member’s statement. I spoke about the diversity within our territory and the need for our service providers to have an understanding of the diversity that exists, of the different languages and the different cultures that exist within our territory. I feel that we as a government have to change our mindset and we also have to change our mindset as workers. What programs exist now that go to training our service providers to be culturally aware so...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has been a tough six months for our territory. We have lost many of our residents to illnesses, accidents, desperation and old age. We had one recently, as you mentioned earlier. Some we have lost years before their time; some a bit before their time; and some who left us after a life well lived. All had contributions yet to be made. We will miss each and every one. My heart goes out to the families and the friends of each of them.

The circumstances around each death were different, but one death here in Yellowknife was particularly troubling to many of us. A...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. Again, everything is in the future. I would hope that the Minister would recognize that the need is now, and yes, we can plan and develop and put frameworks in place, but again I would ask the Minister if he would commit to try to develop something for our service providers before they start the pilot in the fall. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that we may not have anything at this point and he is going to work towards something, but in the interim we have nothing. We put people into a job where they are required to deal with clients, particularly in Yellowknife where they are dealing with an extremely diverse group of clients. In the interim, until we get this training that we are going to do, what does the Department of Human Resources do to help our client service providers?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate the work the Minister is doing. He recognizes the importance, as do Members, of the ASEP program. So, will the Minister continue to fight, basically, for what we need for our Mine Training Society here in the NWT? Will he continue to do that with the federal Minister? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that update. I’m a little concerned in that what he’s saying is not quite the concrete support from the federal government that I was hoping for. I know I received a letter back from the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada which indicated to me that the government would continue to support skills development through what she says is a new skills and partnership fund. I wonder if the Minister could comment on that fund. Does he have any details on that new program and is it, in fact, a definite program that’s going ahead?

Thanks to the Minister. I really appreciate that commitment. I know, from my understanding, there’s been no response received by either the NWTTA or anybody else. I guess I would like to know from the Minister… I appreciate he’s going to look into this. Any idea when I can expect his response?

Thanks to the Minister for that response. I know a number of years ago there was a defined program between the Housing Corporation and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to try and encourage communities to take the responsibility and for the community to provide some housing for teachers and professionals in general, I guess. My understanding is that program didn’t work very well. I’d like to know from the Minister of Education if there’s a particular explanation as to why that program hasn’t been all that successful.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize a Page who worked with us last week and has been working with us again this week: Brenda Joyce-Hotte. Thank you very much for all the work that you’ve done.

As well, I would like to recognize two members from the NWT Teachers’ Association who are with us today: Mr. Dave Roebuck, the executive director; and Ms. Gayla Meredith, who is the communications officer with the NWTTA.

I cannot ignore two acquaintances who are sitting at the Clerk’s Table. It’s an honour to have you two gentlemen here today: Mr. David Hamilton and Mr. Tony...

I am really pleased to hear that our government, the Minister and other Ministers, are pushing this particular initiative. I agree with the Minister; it has been an extremely successful program.

I am a little bit concerned, though, if the federal government is putting a program in place that’s a little bit different. I know that the Mine Training Society is one group that has used a great deal of this funding for very successful results. There are several other organizations as well. So my concern and my question to the Minister is whether or not there is going to be any impact at the end of...