R.J. Simpson

I can't speak for all of the other Ministers involved, but the Member points out one of the big issues here. This is not just a student housing issue; there is a homelessness issue; there is a vulnerable persons issue. There are all sorts of things going on here, and so we all have to work together. Those conversations are happening.

I don't have an answer right now. This situation is evolving, but I know that we are working to find solutions to all of those issues. As many Members have rightly pointed out today, we have seen some great strides in terms of the social supports we offer, and we...

The Member is absolutely correct. With the lack of summer employment, it is going to make it very difficult for summer students. As well, some of their parents, too, maybe have lost their jobs. It's going to make a very tough situation.

The federal government has announced increases to the Canada Student Loans Program. The Northwest Territories opted out of the Canada Student Loans Program back in the '80s, I believe, in order to create our own program tailored to Northerners. It is more generous to Northerners, but, as a result, we don't get that increase that the Canada Student Loans Program...

The communication about self-isolating and about the precautions that need to be taken has been happening, I believe, since January, was the first time that the department reached out, and I will ensure that those continue to happen. Similar to the schools, I don't have the authority to close day homes, as it is being done in other jurisdictions, but if there is a serious health concern, the Chief Public Health Officer likely has the ability to close that. If people do have concerns about what is going on, they should be bringing those forward.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an ever-evolving situation. When I was looking at the news on Friday, it was changing right before my eyes. A few schools were closing their doors, but most were moving online, as the Member said, so classes aren't necessarily cancelled. Courses have moved online.

A lot of universities are also keeping their facilities, their resources open, like libraries, and so students might make the choice to stay down and finish their semester there because they need access to those types of resources. That being said, some who have the ability to complete their entire...

What the Premier said was that I consulted with the Chief Public Health Officer and received advice to close NWT schools until after Easter. That is advice. I don't have the authority to close those schools.

I have a meeting today with the chairs of the DEAs and the DECs, and they are the ones with that authority. Our recommendation will be to follow the advice of the chief medical officer, which is to close schools until after Easter. What that means, we are not sure yet. We will see where we are at that point and then re-evaluate, but there are a number of options on what can happen.

In the...

Like I said, it is still pretty early here, but if students make the decision to come home and complete their courses online, I would imagine they would be expected to complete their courses online; but, like I said, it is an evolving situation and perhaps there are going to be situations where the online delivery doesn't quite work as well as it was expected, considering that some schools are throwing this together over the weekend. A mass of universities are trying to pull this off over the weekend. I am open to doing what we can to ensure people aren't adversely affected by this pandemic...

I can't overreach my legislative authority. Education is delivered by the education councils. That's one of the reasons why I'm looking at reforming the Education Act so that, perhaps, if this happens again, I would be able to stand up here and say I have the authority to do some of these things that the Member is asking.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is following the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer, and the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer is not to shut down the schools. I don't even have the authority to shut down the schools. I can't tell the DEAs or the DECs to shut down the schools. Legislatively, it's just not in my toolbox. The DEAs and DECs do have the authority, though, to close schools temporarily for public safety issues, so if they believe that there is a public safety issue, then they have that ability, but it's not being recommended at this time. Thank you, Mr...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Sahtu, that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Public Highways Act, be read for the second time. The bill amends the Public Highways Act to address government liability for loss or damage resulting from a failure to maintain primary highways in the Northwest Territories. The bill requires the Minister to maintain primary highways and provides that the Government of the Northwest Territories is liable, with exceptions, for loss or damage resulting from a failure to do so. The bill makes clear that the Minister has no duty to maintain roads...

I can get back to the Member with more specifics on that. I actually have the second half of my languages briefing scheduled for next week. I know that we are partway through that plan. It was only a few years ago that the department really put together this division and created this NWT Indigenous languages framework and action plan because we recognized the need for concrete action. There are languages that, within 10 years, could just be not spoken anymore unless we take some serious action.

There are a number of things that have been done. We have scholarships for students who wish to learn...