Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and my question is simple. Does he support inclusive education and can he explain it? How and why?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many schools, including those in Yellowknife, are shortchanged when it comes to support in funding for inclusive schooling. This is the practice of including all students with special needs in regular classes and providing the extra support they certainly need and deserve.

Yellowknife schools are attracting special needs students from far and wide. Why? Because it’s a clear demonstration of the good quality schools we have here. As well, sometimes the families need to come to Yellowknife for the other services, which include health care, respite and counselling.

Insuffic...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to let the Minister know, and certainly the deputy minister know, I sincerely appreciated that detailed example because the traditional economy is very important to Northerners, as we all know.

I just want to change subjects, but on the same page. It’s no surprise that I, as well as many of the Members in this House, am very supportive of the film industry. We’ve seen such phenomenal growth and attention of the world. I think we’re just on the cusp of greater success, and in talking to many of the filmmakers in the Northwest Territories that some of whom I’ve...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to say briefly, I too will be voting in favour of the motion. I think any way that we can help buttress very important if not supercritical industry to draw new money into the territory, I think we need to take every step we can, as highlighted by Mr. Dolynny. He’s quite right that this is an industry that draws good money, well-invested money into a return that is fantastic and, of course, in times of trying to compete with the world of interest and getting people in your area to spend money and invest money and be part of the opportunities, this certainly...

Mr. Speaker, the question is simple. How has he made inclusive education better by these reductions? The people want that answered. Thank you.

I have to admit that I didn’t understand that answer. I heard needs in various areas and those key areas. With all those various needs and community needs and various area needs, maybe the Minister can explain how a reduction in funding does a better program delivery. I’m not talking about the upcoming review. I’m talking about the reduction of the $26 million he’s talking about. How does that create better services and supports for those students?

Clearly, two if not three provinces have felt that the regulation that exists is not enough and they’ve taken appropriate steps to show that their citizens matter. I am asking the Minister of MACA what he’s prepared to do to demonstrate that our northern citizens matter by providing them good, solid consumer protection. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many Northerners and Canadians generally have been raising concerns for years about the restrictive and confusing terms of their cell phone contracts. They complain about being locked into three-year contracts with unreasonably high penalties to get out of them, changes to fees and services without their consent, automatic renewals and the lack of clear information about their contracts.

This is more than a boondoggle opportunity to create changes, this is a real opportunity for real protection. As we see the cell phone services are finally rolling out and expanding...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that committee reports progress.

---Carried

Are they all out of the Hay River area? What type of public relationship do they have in the sense of letting people know what they do, who they are, who will they meet? Are we really talking about a board that governs production just in Hay River and would they qualify as a territorial board in that regard, or are they just a Hay River board looking after a niche market?