Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning I had the opportunity to attend the very first NWT Education Hall of Fame ceremony. I would like to credit the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for taking the initiative of developing an idea and establishing an NWT Education Hall of Fame. I am more than pleased to be able to use my statement today to acknowledge one of the 15 inaugural inductees, someone who is also a personal friend, Mrs. Toni Auge.

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Mrs. Auge, now retired, had a teaching career which spanned 40-plus years and included teaching in her home country of New Zealand, at...

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister for that commitment. I will look forward to that. I would ask the Minister to copy other Members because I believe that everybody is interested in this document which is presumably coming.

The Minister talked about a report being available in the fall. I know in May of this year we received another letter from the Minister which talked about Volunteer Support Initiative consultations which apparently are going to be ongoing in the next couple of months, I guess. The letter talked about some of the focus of the questions for these consultations as being...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are addressed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Some years ago, Volunteer NWT was established. It’s, unfortunately, an organization which is now defunct. When the federal funding which we received to establish the organization went the way of the dodo birds, so, unfortunately, did the organization because GNWT did not follow through and replace the funding.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs held a Volunteer Summit last March and published a report in September of 2009. The intent of that report apparently...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am really glad to hear the Minister say that we are going to expand the funding. That is great. I take that commitment. I look forward to that in the 2011-12 Business Plans. In order to effect any real change, I think that we have to go beyond sort of the questions that are out in this round of consultations. We have to get deeper into sort of the meat of the matter. I would like to know from the Minister whether or not there will be consideration within the government to reorganize it so that all the volunteer initiatives, all the volunteer programs fall under one...

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister for that information. I guess better late than never. I feel, and I think many Members on this side of the House agree, that volunteers are the backbone of our communities and, in our view, the government should be providing strong support, both moral support and financial support, to enable our volunteers. In the last couple of years that I have been here, we have talked about multi-year funding for NGOs, non-government organizations, to ensure better treatment with them, better communications and operations between government and NGOs. I know a program...

I would like to thank the Minister for his comments. The Minister mentions that there are a number of options. I do appreciate that there are options. He also mentions that they are in consultation with YK 1 and the college, then he stated they are waiting for one of the school boards. My understanding is that YK 1 has indicated their approval of one of the options, and if he is waiting for the Catholic system, then I guess I would ask them to hurry up.

I understand, as the Minister said, he’s confirmed to me my understanding is that the Aurora College lease expires in 2012. I’d like to ask the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishment of Frame Lake constituent Ms. Karen Horn. Ms. Horn is employed by Aurora College and she has been a stalwart at the Yellowknife Campus for many years now. She recently completed the first step towards a bachelor degree in Business Administration. At the YK Campus graduation held May 1st, Karen was one of the graduates receiving her Business Administration Certificate. I offer my congratulations and wish her every success as she continues her education journey.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I note in this section that Ecole St. Joe’s portable classroom for $175,000. This is a new school project, I thought. I’m wondering why we’re spending money on portables. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do have a question in regard to these two projects. I understand from the background information that these projects are being done in partnership and consultation with Nunavut. Could I get an explanation as to why we’re doing it in partnership with Nunavut? Thank you.