Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, given the different options that exist, which were essentially leaving it as is, and comparing that to where we would like to be or how we would like to be able to support languages and culture across the territory and the effort and focus we'd like to see go into that, this was determined to be the best option in order to do the work that we wanted to see done within the department. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very excited about the changes as well that are taking place for income assistance clients who are seniors and persons with disabilities. At this time, there is not a plan to change it right across the board. And I think it's worthwhile pointing out that this view is not shared by all of my colleagues on the other side of the House. But what I'm really excited about as well is there is going to be more time freed up, like I said for the client navigators to be able to work with income assistance clients who are not part of those two categories...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, on my left I have Mr. Jamie Fulford. And on my right, I have Ms. Katherine McDonald.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know personally of some people who have received income assistance but did not have a fixed address. And so I would like to be able to the Member did mention a couple of people in her community and would like to be able to specifically work on those cases with the Member to see what we can do. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. For the operational detail of that, I will pass it to the deputy minister.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the month of July the Department of Education, Culture and Employment will be starting its new income assistance program. And so that program will allow persons living with disabilities and seniors to be able to do an annual application instead of a month to month application. And this reduction in the administrative burdens that are on some of income assistance clients will be able to free up a lot of time for the client navigators. And that time that is freed up with client navigators will be able to be used in more of a wraparound service...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 20242025 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Overall, the department's estimates propose a decrease of $9.858 million or 2.6 percent over the 20232024 Main Estimates. These estimates support the mandate objectives for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment while continuing to meet the GNWT's fiscal objectives to prioritize responsible and strategic spending.

Highlights of these proposed estimates include:

Forced growth funding of $484,000 to support the increased demand in the senior citizens...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, income assistance is a month to month program, which means that there is already a baked in month to month connection for a tremendous amount of income assistance clients with their client navigators. So these are relationships that every month are being worked on. In addition to that, there is also the career development officers that work within the regional offices as well. And these are people who are creating pathways to whatever are the career goals of persons as well. And so the client navigators would also be able to work in conjunction...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I think one of the key components that was explained by the deputy minister was exactly what it is, a coordinator role, moving things along, playing the accountability structure of this division, and ensuring that we're able to reach our objectives and our targets. We have some pretty lofty goals as far as a territory of what we want to see, and I think they're important goals that we work hard to reach, and we can't reach those goals on our own. It requires an extreme amount of coordination with our stakeholders and our partners in that, being...

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.