Denny Rodgers

Thank you, excellent. So my obvious question is, then, why is that not in here? Because I think it should be if we need it. So if we need that, let's get it in the budget.

Would that then so are we talking, then, about being able to provide more spaces based on that or just that's what we need to maintain our current levels of 1,956?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Whole wishes to consider Tabled Document 9320(1), 20242025 Main Estimates, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, would the chair please rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. Again, it's important that we get this information out there and that residents understand, because myself as well, as I'm sure as many other MLAs, do get a considerable amount of phone calls on the issue and to get this information out there, I think is great.

One final, Mr. Speaker. The Minister signed a collaborative agreement on housing with the Gwich'in Tribal Council, which I think is amazing and it's the kind of work we need to be doing. Can the Minister describe how the department is also working with the Inuvialuit Regional...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer consideration of the activity labour development standards in the main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Minister for that information and hopefully we can get those repairs done sooner rather than later and that we have the funding certainly allocated to do that.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide the current number of clients on the public housing waitlist in Inuvik?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's nice to know that the chair of the board has been listening to session the last couple of weeks. Obviously, he feels there might be an opportunity. Yeah, no, that's it for me on that, I think, Mr. Chair. I certainly appreciate it. And, yeah, we look I mean, again, that funding, I think, is crucial, and I hope the department's considering looking at that program and maintaining that program so, again, we can continue down the path of getting to a polytechnic, where we need to be. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before I give my statement today, I would like to join the Premier in congratulating the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation on their celebration of the 40th Anniversary of signing the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. And to my colleagues and friends in Inuvik, have a great day and I wish I was there participating today and flipping hamburgers with them. So have a great day up there.

Mr. Speaker, I too will speak to housing today. Mr. Speaker, long waitlists for NWT residents when assessing public housing is an ongoing issue that has been raised numerous times in...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My other question since you have Mr. Saturnino with you is on the college, was the so I've spoken previously about the Centre for Learning, Teaching and Innovation and how important that is for the college to get their accreditation to be able to develop the programming they need to become a polytechnic. I guess my first question is was the Minister and your department aware that this program was actually running and that the funding from CanNor was sunsetting after three years? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have a couple of questions. The first one I'll talk about the northern distance learning, and I note it's $850,000 decrease to that. That is a program that I know was piloted out of Inuvik for students in remote communities to be able to access the academic programs they needed through online services. Can the Minister speak as to what that reduction of $850,000 is a reflection of? Thank you.