Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I may disagree. Communication via email is probably not the process I would do, and I would actually encourage the staff at the college to work with the students and tell them face up and tell them what is going on.

As I said in my Member' statement today, the college has decided that this will be the last year for intake for Northerners wishing to take the social work program. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise this House what will happen to the students who are taking this access program presently to get ready for the social...

I would like to thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my address about the budget, communication is poor. Thursday was another example of why I say we have poor communication in this House. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise the House when we on this side will get a full briefing on why this program was phased out?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, the social issues in the NWT are not going away with an increase in industrial development. It needs to be a balanced approach by this government. When you look at our social issues in the NWT, they are vast and many, which could possibly have lessened with a workforce of people trained and educated on northern social work program.

Mr. Speaker, here we go again -- the fiscal restraint taken over without looking at the longterm picture of the Northwest Territories. The ill-advised cuts to Aurora College are misguided at best and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank my colleagues. I would like to thank the volunteers, instructors, and organizers for their hard work to keep the Kole Crook story and the love of the fiddle alive for future generations to come. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs for working with the association so they can access funds. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for his answer. I have read that. I've read all your documentations. I've seen it, but I've got a whole bunch of communities out there that are asking these questions. When we're looking at implementing this junior kindergarten, has the department looked at additional costs such as busing, staffing to make sure that we have proper busing for these children, and the safety and then inclusive schooling with this junior kindergarten?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I was asking the Minister of ECE a number of questions trying to clarify what's happening with junior kindergarten. In my role as the Chair of Social Development and in my travels in the communities, we've been hearing a number of concerns raised. So has the department looked at other options in communities with existing options instead of implementing junior kindergarten? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This past January 6-8, 2017, the Kole Crook Fiddle Association held its 14th Annual Jamboree in Fort Simpson. They've held the Jamboree in Fort Smith, Fort Providence, Hay River, and Fort Simpson over the last 14 years.

Mr. Speaker, Kole Crook was a Metis fiddler from Hay River who passed away at the age of 27 on December 31, 2001. He was flying from Fort Good Hope to perform at the New Year's Eve dance in Tulita when the plane he was on crashed. For the people who had the opportunity to know Kole Crook, they would describe him as an individual who would go into the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that great answer, and yes junior kindergarten has been implemented in the Nahendeh riding. I'm glad the Minister recognized that and it does work; however, we're hearing a lot of concerns across the Territories. It's great we're looking at it, but there's going to be hidden costs to it. So instead of asking, that'll be another set of questions later on, but in regards to junior kindergarten will this be voluntary or are the communities going to have to be implementing this? There seems to be some miscommunication and misunderstanding. So will...

I thank the Minister for the answer. However, we’ve heard from a number of communities that they're saying that they would like the money actually to follow the child instead of going directly to junior kindergarten. Has the department looked at this option?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that clarification. I guess my concern is that, if we are funding this completely, where is this money going to be coming from to implement junior kindergarten? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.