Wendy Bisaro

That was kind of clear as mud. I guess if I understood correctly, it’s now being tied to students within an authority as opposed to being tied to a percentage of costs within the authority’s budget. I didn’t fully understand how this dollar amount is being determined. Secondly, is the dollar amount that is going to individual authorities going down this year for inclusive schooling? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, thanks for the answer to the Minister. I just would like to suggest that, when this is being investigated, when it is being looked at, the Minister and the department seriously consider the effect the lack of school counsellors has on students in schools, particularly high schools and their inability to actually fully understand the impact that particular course will have on their post-secondary education. The Minister full well knows it has been an issue that has come out a fair bit in the last several months. I think if there is an opportunity for us to train school counsellors...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of questions on this section. I would like to first off state that I am -- and I have mentioned it in my comments earlier -- very pleased to see that there is an increase in the funding to arts and culture. It is the way that we should be going. I am very glad to see that the department continues to increase the funding in this particular area.

I have a concern with the early childhood and family literacy funding. It is a strategic initiative, I believe, in this particular section of the budget. I am glad to see that we are increasing the funding for...

My question was not so much whether there has been any change to date but what is being contemplated for this next fiscal year. This issue was extremely volatile and piqued the interest of many residents and particularly the education authorities. So the Minister states that they are working on it. I wonder if he can tell us what sorts of things they are working on and what changes might be contemplated that they are going to be working on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, at the outset I would like to say I am going to support this motion. I spoke in my Member’s statement about the need for conservation and, in my view, it needs to be the basis of any resolution to this particular disagreement. It should be the only reason that we are discussing this particular issue. The caribou herd, in my view, is in distress and in order to preserve it from extinction there needs to be a solution that considers conservation.

I think we’ve managed to get to a place where we have groups on two different sides and the sides can’t agree. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I have to ask the Minister, if it’s a very successful and popular process, I would suggest that’s probably not the case for the residents of the Yellowknives in Dettah and Ndilo. So could I ask the Minister for clarification: do we have residents within the Yellowknife area who are happy with the process and happy with the outcome? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister. He’s talking about getting back and getting together again. I wonder if I could get some indication of the time frame. When will the parties next meet and when do they think they might maybe come to an agreement and a solution? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve yet to speak about the caribou issue, as some have been calling it, and so I will do so today.

Even though I haven’t spoken yet, I have been considering all aspects of it every day for the last week and more, listening to my colleagues on both sides of the House, listening to elders and other residents as they speak to us in person and via the media. I’ve been trying to reconcile the arguments, the concerns, the differences of opinions and the different positions. It has been difficult to do.

At the core of this issue is the need for conservation of the...

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I have a number of comments. These are not in any particular order, but some are in reference to the budget in general and some are in reference to the Minister’s opening remarks.

I would like to start off by talking about there is a statement, I think it is in the business plan, there is a trend to a decreased use of income assistance funds, but I know over the last week or two I have heard the Minister state that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment... Income support is certainly handling more income support claims. So I am a little bit concerned that if...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that the government develop an anti-poverty strategy for the Northwest Territories; and further, that the Premier initiate discussions towards this strategy in partnership with business, organizations and those living in poverty; and further, that the government and partners start by developing a definition of poverty; and further, that the anti-poverty strategy identify specific, measureable targets...