Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, adult education learning, it's in our mandate. It's part of what we provide as a government. For me, this is about lack of consultation before such what I would consider a somewhat radical decision. There are many people and will be many people affected by the closures of the learning centres and, for me, know, the reason I would support this motion is what I would hope is that, you know, if Aurora College decides that it no longer wants to provide this service, then I would suggest that ECE under its mandate use this funding to continue the support for the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that. That is, indeed, excellent news.

I guess I would ask if the Minister can commit to giving us a kind of a costed plan on how the department intends to reach the 300 spaces by 2026 that was intended when the agreement was signed with the federal government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on my Member's statement, I did mention in there that I know the Minister's aware that childcare providers are required to complete the essentials course in order to be a childcare provider either in a day home or in a centre.

Mr. Speaker, oftentimes, you know, providers may have English as a second language or may require some assistance. Does the department provide assistance, or what assistance does the department provide to the individuals who are taking these courses? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister spoke about the infrastructure funding. Can she maybe elaborate on that, what that funding is specifically used for, if it's strictly for infrastructure projects, any of that to be used for anything like wage subsidies then as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the agreement education, culture and employment entered into with the federal government to work towards $10 a day daycare was designed to invest in early childcare for the betterment of all in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories had committed to creating 300 new childcare daycare spaces by 2026, but as of June 2024, only 76 new spaces have been created. A $50 million investment from Ottawa in 2021 was intended to create the 300 new spaces and reduce childcare fees to $10 a day within a five-year period, Mr...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I move the chair rise and report progress.

Thank you. And, yeah, just for clarity -- and the Minister may have said this, and I apologize if I didn't pick it up. So none of that surplus, then, is being considered as part of the new plan going forward for the new builds that the Member from Range Lake had discussed earlier? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And I assume that also includes the $6 million in interest that the housing corporation also earned from that surplus in there, and that is then carried into the ongoing surplus.

Can the Minister then -- if that's the case and if that surplus coming into 2025 from 2024 has been allocated, can we get a kind of list of how much of that is work in progress, Madam Chair, if we will call it, and how much of that is new builds, and what portions -- I understand it's all been allocated. Can we get the information as to what it's been allocated for. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of the main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment at this time. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Bill 12, Business Day Statute Law Amendment Act; and, Tabled Document 275-20(1), 2025-2026 Main Estimates, Education, Culture and Employment and Housing Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.