Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My understanding, this was something that was approved by a previous -- not approved, but a lot of work went into this in the 17th Assembly and I wonder if there is any detail as to why the funding originally allocated to it from the midwifery program was not spent to establish it in the 17th Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to ask, in regard to the great public interest in this issue and the hard work of our post-secondary departments with Dechinta and College nordique, if the Minister will commit to making the LP process that the standing committees normally go through a public process so that we can have a broad range of opinions on the legislation before it's finalized in the House? Thank you.

Thank you. I am afraid that, with some dread, I hear that a labyrinthine process of plans upon plans upon plans are being contemplated by the department. I wonder: can the Minister give some assurance that this is not going result in more action plans and strategies and will actually result in results? We have been waiting for a year for a strategic plan that has now transformed into a foundational review, so are we going to be waiting another year to see this review, or are we going to get moving on post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to publicly state my support for Bill 16: An Act to Amend the Education Act.

First off, as a parent, I feel very privileged that my son is enrolled in a first-class school here in the Northwest Territories where his unique learning needs and education challenges are met by very skilled educators whose standard of teaching and professionalism is second to none in Canada and the world.

That being said, I have asked some tough questions of the department along with my colleagues who are full-time members of the Standing Committee of Social...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In her appearance before the Standing Committee on Government Operations, the Information and Privacy Commissioner had requested that her office receive additional funding to fund a deputy commissioner who would eventually take over part of the functions of that office as it is split over two jurisdictions. I am just wondering if that request was seen by the Legislative Assembly and whether it was approved? Thank you.

I spoke to some of these students, potentially before that happened, and they were quite upset about not being able to do this education here in the North, or at least start this education here in the North. Is there any possibility that exceptions can be made for these students to continue on the educational path that they had originally planned to do before this announcement was made?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Finance Minister's address, he committed to restoring funding to Aurora College to deliver the social work and teacher education programs but made note that there will be no additional intake for these two programs, so I would like to ask the Minister of Education if he can explain how this process is going to work and what the students who were previously impacted by this change can expect now that this financial commitment has come forward from this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that the Minister thought that this was a good idea, but, clearly, there has been a reversal decision there, which I appreciate. Perhaps the Minister can just remind this House and the public: when will the strategic plan be available for review, and can we get a concrete timeline, please, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

What of the access program students who were planning on taking this program? Will they still be able to fulfill those goals? We will start with that.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to rise to speak to the Finance Minister's recent statement on cooperation in the 2017-18 budget. It is no secret that we have had a very spirited debate in this House over this very important issue of our fiscal and strategic priorities moving forward into the 2017-18 year.

I am very pleased today to share in the announcement that we have achieved a compromise on the budget and that Regular Members, working together, have found a way to express their concerns both publicly and privately through the established practice of consensus...