Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It was an exciting visit to the House yesterday by the N.J. Macpherson Grade 5’s and I think we had a very successful Anti-Bullying Day in the House.

I’d like to remind everyone that next week is NWT Education Week. During the last 15 years, a very positive initiative has been run by the Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Northern News Services and First Air. They have all partnered to run a teacher recognition program called Thank You for Making a Difference.

Every January through to mid-February, students...

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?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise in support of this motion. The second whereas of the motion talks about NWT rates of substance abuse. We are among the highest rates in Canada. It seems to me that we have been doing the same thing to deal with our addictions and our substance abusers for a very long time. Our treatment programs really haven’t changed a lot. We have gone probably down in the number of treatment programs that we have over the last number of years. In my mind, we haven’t been successful doing the same thing over and over.

I think it is time to reconsider what we are doing. It is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that it is going to be on the list of things to discuss with board chairs, but my question to the Minister was whether or not the department would take the lead and would initiate some action to coordinate bullying. I would like to ask him if he is willing to do that. Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. I appreciate that we have a great, very long line-up of legislation that is waiting to be done. I really appreciate the fact that it is on the radar for the Department of Education. I look forward to getting something back in the near future.

The Minister mentioned that there is a policy. I would like to know from the Minister, is this a policy that directly addresses bullying or is it a different kind of policy. If I can get a bit of an elaboration on what policy does exist within the department that schools are asked to implement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my very great pleasure to recognize and welcome the Grade 5 class from N.J. Macpherson School. You guys look great in your pink. Thank you so much for coming.

I have some Frame Lake constituents that I would like to recognize specifically. Maybe you guys could stand up when your name is called so we know who you are. Diana Rockwell; Elaine Cronk, and mom Carolyn Cronk is also here; Michael Elms, instigator of this event today – way to go, Michael – and his mom, Megan Holsapple; Liala Noksana; and their teacher, Carrie Heldman, also a wonderful Frame Lake resident...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we know, Wednesday, February 29th, is Pink Shirt Day across Canada. Since the House will not be in session on the 29th, Members are acknowledging the importance of that initiative today. And we’re not alone, Mr. Speaker. In the gallery today is Ms. Carrie Heldman and her Grade 5 class. They walked here from N.J. Macpherson School wearing their pink shirts to join us today and to highlight bullying along with us in the House.

I’ll use the words of one of my constituents, Michael Elms -- Michael is in the gallery today – to explain the importance of maintaining or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, as well, would like to thank Mr. Dolynny and Mr. Yakeleya for bringing this motion to the floor. I think we’ve had an excellent expression of varying views on bullying today. I think it’s created a very good awareness both in the House and outside of the House. I think the event of having the students here and our statements will be very educational to many people. I think we’ve also created maybe one or two budding radio and TV stars with the media activity that was happening upstairs before the House.

Society as a whole is impacted by bullying, even bullies...