Jane Weyallon Armstrong

I know that in the regional centre they have -- you know, like, listening to my colleagues, there's a lot of issues with early learning and childcare, especially childcare, you know. I, you know, listening to them, there's a major issue. So how much of this are being spent in the regions? Like, for example, the region I represent and there's the Deh Cho, Sahtu, and Delta, because we've all been saying that, you know, education outcome is not really that good and then early learning is really important. Is there a breakdown somewhere in the budget where how much of that money is being spent to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to acknowledge and recognize our Tlicho interpreters Maro Rose Sundberg and Jonas Lafferty. I know Jonas is probably not here with us, but my condolences for the loss of his younger brother. And all the interpreters that are here, that are working and preserving our Indigenous language. They are the language keepers, and so I would like to recognize. And we're going to be taking a week break and that we all have a safe travel. And I would like to recognize all the ladies over here from the women's society. And also I hope I get it right Elaine, Ms. Boucher...

Okay, yes, thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I know that there's -- we do have a lot of mental health issues too in the small communities, you know. Like, I mean, we have lots of issues in small communities because we have high rates of unemployment, housing crisis. There's accumulation of all the social issues. It's all -- you know, it all goes back to mental health issues. So I just wanted to ask if they know or if they're working with Indigenous governments or organizations to take on -- you know, if they're working with these organizations to take on more of a mental health and addiction...

Thank you. Child and family services, here within the budget, you know, 2023-2024 it was like 4.46. Are we on -- I'm on page 205. Okay, so there's an increase from 46 -- from that time and then 2024-2025 and then there was a -- it revised -- the budget was revised -- the estimate was revised. And then 2025-2026 went to 52. I don't know if this is good or bad because, you know, child and family services. So is this -- okay. So I know that this takes care of the -- you know, the -- all the NWT. And so how much of this is for child and family services program that are for the children in care and...

Thank you. Masi, Mr. Speaker. Community learning centres are currently staffed by full-time community adult educators as well as visiting instructors. Can the Minister explain what will happen to these jobs once the centres close? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I'll do this in my language for the opening comment -- I mean for the opening of the statement.

Mr. Speaker, [No translation provided].

Mr. Speaker -- I'll do it in English now -- a few days ago, last week, in response to questions about the closure of the community learning centre, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment mentioned that a GNWT in What We Heard report and the 2024 facility report. Mr. Speaker, we can see from these reports that learning centres are at the heart of college programming in small communities. Of the 19 centres being closed, the facility report...

Thank you. I appreciate that, the answer.

Healthy choices fund went up from 2023-2024, and healthy family program stayed the same. I mean, those two are very important for many of our communities because I know it's being used a lot. I'm on page 206. So why does healthy family program have not changed? Is it going to continue well into the future or, like, is there -- because it just stopped at that number, stayed the same from 2023, didn't move or didn't go down. That is an important program for many of our communities, and healthy choices fund as well. Thank you.

So it was mainly for compensations and benefits within that area, okay. Okay, thank you.

Another one too here, community wellness and addiction recovery support program. You know, we don't have no treatment program and we do have addiction issues. We have a crisis among our young people, and it's all the communities in the territory are affected, and we all know of someone who is suffering with addictions. And then there's mental health and addiction recovery fund. There's mental health and addiction recovery capacity building funds. You know, it's good there's programs but there's one here...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. Seven CLCs share space in GNWT owned or community facilities. For example, there is no formal lease agreement between Mezi Community School in Whati and Aurora College. Can the Minister explain what will happen to these spaces in June? Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with the CLC closing, can the Minister commit to discussing partnership opportunities for apprenticeship and other programs with Indigenous government and community organizations to strengthen the presence of Aurora College in small communities? Thank you.