The difference, as the deputy minister indicated, is in one situation the TSC, we are providing a service to a client department, as opposed to with the buildings we have the mandate to operate and maintain those facilities. They happen to have a client department in them. In some of our buildings we’ve got multiple departments, and it would be very difficult to start identifying who’s responsible for what percentage of power. We operate and maintain those buildings. We, therefore, like any landlord, would be responsible for making sure that the juice was on and that the fluids were flowing.
I’m not sure that I agree with the distinction. I mean, I would say that building maintenance, operation maintenance is somewhat identical to this and it’s split per usage, so based on percentage. If you have mixed usage, it would be based on mixed usage. Other governments do this. The federal government does this. Any organization using common area space would do this. You ask anybody in a condominium, they pay per square footage on their condo fees on common usage space.
I’m just curious why we wouldn’t do this on one but yet on TSC we do a direct chargeback. To me, it’s a paradox. As well as the other question, which seems to be, what is the actual cost to run this division? I see we have $12 million for other operations, and I’m just wondering, is that dedicated to the actual cost of running the TSC.
I get the Member’s point. I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree. I think there are some fundamental differences. With respect to the utilities, the way it’s working now, we’ve got the budget. We’re able to track. We’re able to provide reports, and we provide quality maintenance to buildings and monitoring of this particular situation.
With respect to the $12.211 million, the Member did ask some questions on this last year that were well pointed, and he indicated the title that is now recoveries used to be revenue. There was some confusion about that, and the Member suggested some changes. So we’ve changed that to recoveries rather than revenue because this is basically a direct chargeback.
The $12.211 million is actual for things such as $179,000 for travel, $72,000 for materials and supplies, $231,000 for purchased services, $11,000 for utilities, $1.036 million for contract services, $7,000 for fees and payments, $8,000 for controllable assets, and $10.667 million for computer hardware and software. We will provide that detail to committee.
I do hear his point about agreeing to disagree. I would maybe leave this point with asking what type of analysis would be required to maybe revisit this subject, which is, in essence, just blobbing the money together. Public Works’ budget is further bolstered with an additional $20 million, and we treat it in a similar manner as the operations, as noted earlier.
We believe things are working quite well with the assets management with respect to utilities. We’re able to provide real great reporting. We can show usage. We can do all the tracking, and we’ve got the budget to cover it. I don’t believe it’s causing any undue stress or problems with departments, but if committee wants to direct us to do that analysis, we’re happy to consider it.
I missed the other part of the question.
I guess I’m just after continuous, sort of, similarities there in the sense of continuous play. If we do this, it is one thing. But, no, I think I have enough information on this area, so no need to probe any further. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Moving on with questions on this page I do have Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just have a quick one on the recoveries. I noticed ’13-14 for other public agencies is roughly triple of the previous year. Is that associated with the taking on of Stanton, or is there another explanation for that?
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Member nailed it. That’s Stanton.
Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Committee, we are on page 7-26, Public Works and Services, information item, Technology Service Centre (chargeback). Any questions?
Agreed.
Page 7-27, Public Works and Services, information item, Technology Service Centre (chargeback). Any questions?
Agreed.
Page 7-28, Public Works and Services, information item, Public Stores Revolving Fund. Any questions?
Agreed.
Thank you. Page 7-30, Public Works and Services, information item, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund. Any questions?
Agreed.
Page 7-31, Public Works and Services, information item, Petroleum Products Revolving Fund, active positions. Any questions?
Agreed.
Page 7-32, Public Works and Services, information item, work performed on behalf of others. Any questions?
Agreed.
Being none, 7-33, Public Works and Services, information item, work performed on behalf of others. Any questions?
Agreed.
Committee, if I can get you to return to department summary, 7-7. Public Works and Services, department summary, operations expenditure summary, $104.505 million. Does committee agree?
Agree.
Does committee agree that consideration of the Department of Public Works and Services is completed?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. I’d like to thank Minister Abernethy, Ms. Gault and Mr. Guy. Thank you for joining us tonight. If I can get the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the witnesses out of the Chamber. Thank you.
Members, if I can get you to turn your attention to Education. We’re going to ask Minister Lafferty if he has any opening comments.
I am pleased to present the 2013-14 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.
The department’s operations expense summary proposes an overall ECE budget of $299.611 million, an increase of 3.6 percent over the 2012-13 Main Estimates. Of this amount, about $213 million will be paid out in contributions for the delivery of a range of programs. This includes over $183 million to support the operation of our NWT school and college education systems and another $15.5 million to account for the amortization of department facilities and other assets.
I would like to now highlight some of the important programs and key initiatives that will be supported by the department's 2013-14 Main Estimates.
Arts and culture not only provide Northerners with a foundation for learning and growth, but cultural and heritage-related activities diversify our economy and add to our GDP. In 2013-14, we plan to spend close to $7 million on culture and heritage programs and services.
Under the Arts Strategy, ECE and Industry, Tourism and Investment are working with the NWT Professional Media Association to strengthen ties between the film and media industry and government agencies.
The department has negotiated a new four-year agreement for the care and storage of the Government of Nunavut museum and archive collection that provides just over $1 million in annual revenue to our government. The funding will compensate the GNWT for the costs associated with housing the Nunavut collection. This arrangement is intended to be temporary to allow Nunavut to build the needed infrastructure to ensure the collection, which is a Canadian treasure, is safely stored.
To speak one’s own language provides a sense of identity and belonging. Language activities assist communities to promote and revitalize their culture and language and, in so doing, these language activities contribute to community economic and social well-being.
In 2013-14, the department plans to spend over $15 million to support Aboriginal language programs and services. Approximately $13 million of this amount will be paid out in contributions to support Aboriginal language and cultural programs offered in early childhood centres, in schools, at Aurora College and in communities across the NWT. The 2013-14 Main Estimates also include close to $2.7 million for French language programs and services managed under the Francophone Affairs Secretariat.
The department will continue to lead the implementation of the GNWT Strategic Plan on French Language Communications and Services working with all GNWT departments and agencies.
For Aboriginal languages, work is underway to enhance organizational support for languages and revitalization activities, and ensure that Aboriginal Languages Plan implementation continues. In 2013-14, the department plans to add three new regional Aboriginal language coordinator positions to be located in Fort McPherson, Fort Providence and Deline.
Early childhood development programs promote healthy child growth and readiness to learn, reducing the burden on the health, education and justice systems over time. Early childhood programs also help parents become or stay employed, thus increasing economic opportunities for many northern families.
In 2013-14, the department plans to spend $7.7 million on early childhood development programs, about $1.4 million more than budgeted in the 2012-13 Main Estimates.
Work by ECE and Health and Social Services on the renewal of the Early Childhood Development Framework will result in completion of a renewed framework in the spring of 2013. The renewed framework will build on public input and will include new research and best practices, to ensure that all our investment decisions are evidence-based.
The two departments are also continuing work on a number of early childhood initiatives, including expansion of the Healthy Families program, early childhood promotion and development of community wellness plans. Other activities also underway include an early childhood development public awareness campaign, distribution of age appropriate baby bags and child and family resources centre pilots.
The two child and family resources centre pilot sites in Tulita and Ndilo are focusing on capacity building as well as the provision of parenting sessions and resources, training and making connections with community members to promote greater awareness of early childhood development and the development of community support systems.
ECE is also completing the actions outlined in the Child Daycare Inspection and Licensing Process Action Plan to monitor compliance with the Northwest Territories Child Daycare Act and Regulations. The 2013-14 Main Estimates include a new child daycare inspection coordinator position to ensure inspections are conducted in an efficient and timely manner.
Ensuring the success of all students in the NWT kindergarten to Grade 12 education system is key to building a strong, sustainable future for our territory. In 2013-14, this government will spend over $166 million on school and library programs. Most of this amount will go to education authorities for the delivery of K-12 education.
To improve student performance, the department has initiated a broad-based review of the NWT education system toward developing a comprehensive territory-wide action plan as recommended by the Auditor General of Canada.
The department will continue to work with our partners to build on the four pillars of the Aboriginal Student Achievement plan. Future actions will include research on best practices and recommendations on how to make better use of existing educational resources.
Elders are the keepers of traditions, languages and stories and offer an invaluable contribution to education in NWT schools. I am very happy to announce that beginning this upcoming 2013-14 school year, we will be launching a NWT Elders in Schools Program to ensure that elder involvement in NWT schools is increased and strengthened. The department will develop an Elders in Schools Handbook modeled on the Nunavut program. This work will be done in consultation with the education authorities for completion by June 2013.
The department is working with education authorities to improve the delivery of student supports provided under the Inclusive Schooling program. ECE staff have provided training to five regions within the last year on the development and implementation of individual education plans and student support plans. ECE is also developing a new data collection system that will provide detailed information on the programming received and required for students in the NWT. It will be operational in the fall of 2013. This work, along with the review of Inclusive Schooling taking place as part of the education renewal initiative, will help us build a more effective evidence-based program.
In 2013-14, in response to concerns heard from Members, the department will implement, and provide supports for, a territorial Safe Schools Plan along with anti-bullying legislation.
Post-secondary, training and employment programs help NWT adults acquire the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to access current and future economic opportunities, and to contribute to building a strong future for our territory. In 2013-14, the department plans to spend close to $49 million on advanced education and employment programs.
Through regional training partnerships, ECE continues to work closely with Aboriginal and community governments, as well as with Aurora College and other partners under the NWT Labour Force Development Framework to ensure Northerners have the education, training and skills to positively contribute to their communities and the wider society. In 2013, the department will renegotiate our Canada/NWT Labour Force Development Agreement.
In 2013-14, the department will action recommendations from the Adult Literacy and Basic Education review, and work with Aurora College to deliver new initiatives under the federal Northern Adult and Basic Education Strategy. The Adult Recognition Model process will be revised based on feedback from the pilot program.
As committed in its response to the Office of the Auditor General's Review of Education in the NWT, the department will introduce an Accountability Framework for the Education and Training of Adults in the NWT, including performance measures for ongoing monitoring and tracking of results in the fall of 2013. The framework will allow for better evaluation, planning, decision-making and public reporting on adult post-secondary and training programs.
ECE will work with other departments to respond to increased oil and gas exploration and anticipated development in the Sahtu and Beaufort-Delta. Two new positions are planned for the Sahtu to help prepare for, and support residents to take advantage of, new opportunities.
In 2012-13, the department worked with Public Works and Services, PWS, and Aurora College to begin moving students attending education programs in Inuvik and their families from older college housing units into leased accommodation. The family housing units were beyond economic repair and there were growing concerns about the condition of the units. The relocation process is underway and will be completed before the start of the next academic year. Savings realized by PWS from closing the existing units will be used to fund $469,000 of the $898,000 increase to the department's 2013-14 Main Estimates.
Income security programs exist to assist people to meet their basic needs and achieve greater self-reliance at a time when they are most vulnerable. In 2013-14, the department plans to spend close to $42 million on income security programs, which provide a range of supports to NWT residents in need of assistance.
In 2013-14, the department will continue to promote client participation in productive choices by linking income assistance clients with career counseling and other support services they may require. The department is also participating in developing the GNWT Anti-Poverty Strategy, and will be implementing an action plan in response to the recommendations from the Student Financial Assistance Program review.
On September 1, 2012, the Child Care User Subsidy Program was rolled into the Income Assistance Program to reduce red tape, and rates were increased to provide greater benefits for low-income parents in need of child care. In the first four months of new delivery under income assistance, the number of families accessing Child Care User Subsidy benefits monthly rose substantially. Beginning in spring 2013, the department will be implementing a new income assistance benefit to pay pardon fees, which may enable clients with a historical criminal record greater access to the workforce.
I have clearly heard Members’ concerns that students struggle to make ends meet and I am pleased to advise that the 2013-14 Main Estimates include over $1.1 million to fund increased student benefits. Starting in 2013, our post-secondary students will receive an extra $150 per month living allowance. In addition, the annual allowance for disabled students will increase from $8,000 to $10,000. Other actions based on the review of the Student Financial Assistance program are also planned, including the provision of tuition and book assistance to incarcerated individuals, as well as incentives for students in a veterinary medicine program.
The 2013-14 Main Estimates also include $768,000 to fund benefits for more NWT post-secondary students as the number of students accessing student financial assistance has increased in line with the rising number of Grade 12 graduates, a 12 percent increase from 2005 to 2011.
The department’s job is to support residents in reaching their education, training and employment goals, and in making positive choices for themselves and their family. In this way, residents are encouraged to be as self-reliant as possible and to develop a strong identity based on their culture and heritage. Determining the levels of support that help Northerners meet their needs is a challenge that requires constant review. Based on this Assembly’s vision and goals, we believe we are making the best investments, for the most people, within our fiscal reality.
I would be pleased to answer any questions that Members may have at this time. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Do you have witnesses you would like to bring into the House?
Yes, I do, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you. Sergeant-at-Arms, you can bring the witnesses into the House.
Minister Lafferty, if you’d like to introduce your witnesses to the House.
Mahsi, Mr. Chair. I have with me to my left, Gabriela Eggenhofer, my deputy minister of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment; Paul Devitt, director of strategic business; and also Dana Heide, the new associate deputy minister in ECE. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Mr. Heide, Mr. Devitt, Ms. Eggenhofer, welcome to the House. What we’re going to be doing here, committee, is we will be opening up with general comments and then we’ll allow the Minister to reply after we’re done. General comments. Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I welcome the Minister and his colleagues and his staff to the House today. As I have done earlier with other departments, I just want to highlight some of the concerns that came out of the Beaufort-Delta Regional Council meeting where our Minister’s staff was in attendance.
First of all, just the high school in Sachs Harbour. The leadership of the region was concerned and wanted to see how we can get graduates in Sachs Harbour right out of Grade 12, rather than having to send them to Inuvik to a boarding school. It is the same with Paulatuk. They want to try to increase some of the education programs, and include some type of adult education and utilize the school to get some of those programs. I just want to get that on the record. That came out of the Beaufort-Delta regional leadership meeting that was held last January.
I am also interested to hear some of the comments that the Minister stated in here. It looks pretty good. Like I said, I will try to keep my comments short. When we get into detail, we will get into some of the specifics.
In the opening comments I didn’t hear anything in regard to the e-learning program, long distance learning program. I know there’s a pilot project that is going on out of Inuvik right now. They have been pretty successful in terms of the succession rates of students that are passing their advanced courses. Actually, it’s really upping the statistics for some of our smaller communities that have always had low passing grades. I just wanted to mention that and see what the plans are in the future for this e-learning program. Just even talking along those lines, the Minister did state with the official languages, some of the money going into there, but even with the e-learning program in the small communities, we do have some of our well-known language speakers that would be able to speak, say in coming out of Fort McPherson, they might be able to teach other people in Aklavik, Inuvik or Tsiigehtchic with this e-learning. That is an opportunity as well.
Under heritage, I’m not sure if the Minister and staff might have heard earlier this week – it might have even been yesterday – when I asked the Minister of Justice about creating some type of museum or some type of heritage structure for the RCMP “G” Division. They have played a big role in contributing to the North. They have a big role in what the North is and who we are. There is a lot of history there and it would be great to celebrate that, to acknowledge that, and to educate our residents on the history of the RCMP in the Northwest Territories.
Just one last little note here before we get into the real detail, and that is just in terms of income assistance. I know in the past year, and last year, actually, I even noted it in some comments and suggestions, and possibly even questions in the House here, about the increase of income support and income assistance in the Beaufort-Delta region. I think we’re starting to see that now. With the slow economic activity that is happening there, we are getting more and more people that are starting to rely on government and applying for the income assistance. It is costing government a lot more money now. I’m not sure if that is reflected in the detail. When we get to those budget line items, we will see how much money was appropriated for that program itself.
Just some things that I didn’t see in the Minister’s opening comments. When we will get into detail I think we will be having a few more questions in this department. I commend the work that’s recently been done in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and I look forward to getting into detail with this budget. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. General comments. Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have a number of comments in no particular order. I will kind of go through the Minister’s opening remarks.
Initially, in the first page, I am pleased to see that we are working to increase the opportunities, I guess, for film within the NWT. We are starting to have quite a strong industry here. I think, along with Industry, Tourism and Investment, ECE has to recognize that we need to change the assistance we give to our film industry. I think that thought is there, but I don’t see anything in the Minister’s remarks in terms of money or a different way of assisting filmmakers to entice them to come to the NWT and to make movies here. I think it’s an area where we need to change our policy. I believe there is some thought being given to it, but I don’t see any evidence from either ITI or ECE that that is coming.
Under official languages, I am disappointed that there is no reference to any upcoming legislation in and around the Official Languages Act. There was a review of the Official Languages Act in the 16th Assembly and there were recommendations to make some changes to legislation to collapse the two boards into one. That recommendation has been sitting there for quite some time. I have yet to see any indication that the legislation is being worked on to make the Aboriginal languages boards more efficient. I think at this point we’re wasting money and I don’t think we have any money to waste.
There is a mention in the Minister’s remarks about it says 1.4 dollars more. I suspect that is supposed to be $1.4 million. However, we are spending $7.7 million on early childhood development programs and that’s about $1.4 million more than was budgeted for 2012-13, not to the revised estimates but to the budgeted estimates. I do believe that from the budgeted 2012-13 estimates, we added approximately $1 million at the request of committee. That means we have an increase in this budget of about $.4 million, $400,000. If that’s the case, that’s not a heck of a lot. In terms of what committee is looking for, I don’t think it will do the trick in what we think we need to have to increase early childhood development.
Under the K to 12 education and libraries, there is a mention of a broad-based review of the NWT education system. I look forward to asking some questions of the Minister as to what that review is and what is anticipated to be accomplished with that.
I know, to the bottom of that page, there is some discussion about inclusive schooling programs. The department is working with education authorities to improve the delivery of student supports. I couldn’t agree more that that is something that is absolutely necessary, but I’m not so sure that just improving the supports is what we need. We need to provide a different method of providing those supports to our education districts and our education authorities. The way that we are currently funding inclusive schooling is not equitable. It’s not providing funds to the boards that have students with greater needs. The broad brush 18 percent across-the-board approach is not allowing boards to provide the supports that are needed to those students who have great needs.
I noted it talks about building a more effective evidence-based program and I totally agree with that philosophy. I think that is absolutely the way we have to go, but I think it’s going to require a very comprehensive and research–based look at how we currently fund our inclusive schooling across the board. If we don’t rely on evidence, and some of that evidence would be those students who require far greater support than others. There are some that just simply require about half an hour of extra instruction and there are others that require a full-time aide all day, and sometimes some of them require two aides all day, but schools are not funded based on the needs of the students and they should be.
Advanced education, the department will action recommendations from the Adult Literacy and Basic Education review. It’s good to see that we’re going to move forward on that. That review was done some time ago. I will have some questions as to what that means when we come to that section of the budget.
With income support I have concerns, as does my colleague Mr. Moses. We spend a huge amount of money on income support and I don’t think that we look seriously at our policies around income support, our policies around housing, our policies around all our other subsidy programs. I don’t think we look at those policies with a view as to whether they are complementary or whether they are contradictory for the clients that are getting income support. I think we end up with policies that create barriers for our income support clients.
I think the other problem with income support is there is not a lot of flexibility on the part of the income assistance officers to be a little flexible in their assessments. I get the impression that we provide the officers with a computer program, they plug in a bunch of numbers or a situation, and out comes an answer and that’s it. There’s no if’s, and’s or but’s. There’s no variation. There’s no flexibility on the part of the officer to provide a bit of a different funding model for a particular client. I think that that’s something which we need to look at.
If my information is correct, the last time there was a fairly comprehensive review of the income support or Income Assistance Program, it was almost six years ago. I think it was 2007. I think that’s something we should probably seriously consider doing. Times have changed and computers are great, but computers don’t look at the human need. Computers look at numbers and specifics, and we have to look at what the humans need.
I am really pleased to see that we have an increase in the numbers of families accessing Child Care User Subsidy benefits. That’s been a program which really wasn’t working very well, and whatever change has been made, usage has increased substantially, so I’m really glad to see that.
Lastly, Mr. Chair, with regard to technology for our schools, we are somewhat hampered at this point because we don’t have access to high speed Internet in many places. With the coming of the Mackenzie Valley fibre optic link, which looks like we may have something in two and a half or three years’ time, I will have some questions to the Minister and the department about how we are going to use that new technology that we will have access to, and how we will change our education program based on the new technology, and the faster speeds, and the access to more things worldwide. That’s it. Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Committee, before we continue on with general comments, we are just going to take a short recess. Thank you.
---SHORT RECESS
Committee, we will come back to order. We are on general comments, Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I would like to highlight some of the issues I have been challenged with, with regard to Education, Culture and Employment one more time, I guess.
One of the big issues this term, as MLA for Nahendeh, is to champion the small schools in our small communities, most particularly creating a new Trout Lake school. If anything, if the Minister could respond to general comments to what kind of plan he has moving forward, that would be great. I have the documentation for 2018, et cetera, but that’s not something that the leadership and myself want to hear. We’d really like to work towards getting this moved up in the capital planning for a stand-alone school for the community of Trout Lake.
Another issue that I want to address is library services in the community of Fort Simpson as opposed to a resource centre. I am still moving forward with that and will hopefully get some solution on that. I know they’re working on a bit of a strategy. I’d like to see where the department is on that right now.
I am pleased to see the opening statement reflect the need for increased resources in the Sahtu; however, I have been making the case, as well, that the development is impacting my region as well, the communities of Fort Simpson and Wrigley, so if we could also dedicate some resources to those communities on a go-forward basis as we move forward.
This is a new and emerging thing. We didn’t see the impacts. Initially, we just thought it would be the Sahtu and it’s a bigger impact than we anticipated, and should it be fully developed, we’ll see probably a fourfold, fivefold increase in traffic and impacting all our resources, people, the trading needed, facilities in the community of Wrigley, dumps, just a whole myriad of impacts on the communities.
As well, another issue that I see time and time again as I travel to my communities is elders in the Fuel Subsidy Program. I’ve raised this in the House many times, as have many MLAs, and I’d like to see how the department is going to address this. I know they have checks in place, but often it’s not the elder’s fault that they want somebody to stay with them. When that somebody is staying with them, the income is low or minimal. So I thought about it over and over how to best address it, and the way to handle it is almost heading to a universal fuel subsidy despite the circumstances, that elders should get the fuel.
I know why the rules are there. It’s to prevent abuse, somebody that is actually working making good money and living off our elders. But in many, many cases people come to me and are appealing the fact that I’m here to care for my mother, she’s being impacted. I’m taking time off work to be here with her, and sometimes the family members, be it the children or nephews, they are often taking time off work to live with the elder.
You know, part of our focus, too, is to try to keep our elders in their homes as long as we can. It’s not in our nature to be sending our seniors off to seniors facilities, and often they’re in another community than they reside in. I’d like to ask the Minister in his response, as well, and general comments, what kind of strategy, what kind of thinking has the department given this. Is there a better way to do it?
With that, those are my general comments. Once we get through specific departments I’ll ask questions as well.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Next on the list is Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I do have some general comments and I will base them on the Minister’s introductory remarks so it will be easy, hopefully, to follow along.
I do appreciate the work that the department does in the area of culture and heritage, and I’m particularly pleased that our staff have managed to negotiate the $1 million-plus revenue from Nunavut to help with the storage costs for Nunavut-based artifacts. Those are important artifacts. They need to be stored properly and there is a real cost, so I appreciate the department figuring out how to get those covered.
I also appreciate the three new regional Aboriginal language coordinator positions, Fort McPherson, Providence and Deline. Certainly, I know Gwich’in is a language under threat, so these are areas that I’m happy to see some work happening in. I know the Minister is well aware of the language issues in my riding and I’m sure that we’re whittling away on those.
The $7.7 million on early childhood, the Minister knows, again, I fully, 120 percent, support that; $1.4 million more than budgeted in the ’12-13 Main Estimates. I presume that’s the final budget that we passed that we’re talking about there and that this is not the same addition from last year. If that’s so, I think this does meet the Minister’s commitment from last year to recognize that increasing funding in early childhood development will be needed for future years, so I appreciate that completion of his commitment.
Early childhood, you know, there are lots of things to comment on and specifics of what is happening there. I see the distribution of age-appropriate baby bags. I hope that’s not a duplication, because I know there are other agencies distributing those. The child and family resource centre pilots, again, I was very unhappy, and I see this happening with other things, as well, with the timing. We’re leaving these things until the very end of the fiscal year to get going and, of course, then they’re rushed and not effectively done. The Minister did commit with those two child and family resource centres that there would be a PY filled by a fully qualified ECD, so I will be interested in whether that has been achieved as per the Minister’s commitment for a full-time coordinator.
The bottom of page 3 has included a new child daycare inspection coordinator position. I’m wondering if we need a full-time position on that. Does this require it? How many daycare centres do we have? Is this position actually going to do the inspections or is it to ensure that the inspections are done, in which case I would expect we wouldn’t need a full-time. It’s very critical work but do we need a full-time position there?
Again, looking at the territorial-wide action plan from a broad-based review of the education system, again, I support that. I think there is overwhelming evidence of how early childhood development, which is not necessarily part of the education system but needs to be integrated with it, and some of those features carried on through the early years in our educational system are important to pay attention to in that refocusing. I appreciate the Minister getting started on this broad-based review. The importance of play, for example, and the less importance on homework in those early years. Moving away from a fear-based education system to one that’s clearly focused on the well-being of the child, helping the child to know themselves and discover what their talents and interests are, and helping them to develop those. I’m hoping that we’re going to take advantage of lessons learned in that work.
The Elders in Schools Program. We have heard this before and it didn’t happen. I still am kind of excited to hear it again, so I’m hoping the Minister will, indeed, come through here. I know the Minister, with Health, carried out a lot of consultation on ECD which involved elders, and it seemed like there was a certain amount of wisdom coming out of that. There might be some skill bases that could be tapped into there by the various school authorities. I don’t know what role the Minister might have there but it doesn’t hurt to help contribute that information.
Certainly, there is a great need, as seen by many of my colleagues as well as myself, on the need to improve the delivery of the Inclusive Schooling and how we do that. I am disappointed that we’re just now developing a new data collection system, but on the other hand, I’m glad to see it going ahead and I will be very happy to see that in place this coming fall.
The accountability framework for the education and training of adults in the NWT, again another Auditor General recommendation and discussed quite a bit in our program review office work, so I’ll be happy to see that. Is that ready to put in place? Is it developed and in place, in fact, when we say we’ll introduce it are we talking about spending the year developing it, and maybe at the last few weeks we’ll introduce it to actually put it to work.
Two new positions for the Sahtu. In recognition of what’s happening there, I appreciate the Minister being progressive on that front.
Just flipping through my notes here, I notice on Child Care User Subsidy the number of families accessing the Child Care User Subsidy benefits monthly rose substantially and I know that there were changes made, so I’m wondering what this actually reflects. If I can get that put in plain English. Does this mean that the demand is up, that the need is up, or is that they’ve just recognized that this is a valuable resource they can tap into, sort of, belatedly, and now they’re doing that? If I can get some clarity on that one.
Again, I’m glad to see these new reports, the Student Financial Assistance review and whatnot are coming, and are going to be put on the website, accessible Adult Basic Education review, so I’ll look forward to that. I’m very happy to see the incentives for students in a veterinarian medicine program. I worked closely with the Minister on that for several years and that sounds good to me.
That’s it, Madam Chair. I just do note that the department is increasing 3.6 percent. It’s more than average across departments, but on the other hand, this department, I think, is recognized to be so important that if there is a department that goes over, this is one of them that I think we would generally support. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. We are on general comments, Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I’ve just got some comments, in terms of the department. I understand the department is the second biggest department in terms of its operational budget. I have some interest in terms of trying to at least understand – from my perspective in representing Fort Providence, Kakisa, the reserve, and Enterprise – the rates of success in terms of graduation in terms of high school, university, and whether there is more we can do in terms of encouraging kids to stay in school, and at the same time, ensure they have a value-added educational approach where we are trying to concentrate on academics at the same time trying to balance it off with at least trying to promote youth to understand their culture. I think it’s trying to balance the two.
In some respects, perhaps there are plans when we need to concentrate on academics, ensuring that the kids that graduate are able to make the jump into college or else a vocation where they take on a technical trade or else they advance themselves to the university level of education. It is important at this time in the North that we have successful rates. I would like to see, in terms of the advancement and the progress that the department has been making, I would like to ensure that… I understand some of the initiatives that might be undertaken to reach those goals in the course of this year.
I have some concerns. One of them, of course, is the Senior Fuel Subsidy. There’s a high cost of living that we experience up here in the North, more so for elders because they are on a fixed income. Sometimes, some elders, it’s just the circumstance, they have to either live by themselves or else, if they have children that they feel that they need to be close to and make a decision to have someone live with them, sometimes they have a hard time trying to ensure that they at least meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the seniors fuel subsidy. Sometimes they are deemed ineligible. I know the department is trying to apply an initiative that is fair. At the same time, it is resourceful in terms of its efficiency in terms of operating, ensuring that we also meet the needs of elders. I understand it’s a challenge, but perhaps we need to try to at least focus the initiatives. It is there as an existing program to assist elders.
The other area is income support. In some communities we have a high rate of income support in terms of people that are unemployed and don’t have the opportunities in the larger centres and regions where industry has a presence and job opportunities are more abundant in those centres. At the community level, it is a challenge for people to get by and make a living. Income support, I think, has to be delivered in a way that is respectful and that people don’t feel that they’re being downtrodden again in the circumstance of trying to at least make a living that is dignified. I know that is challenging, perhaps, for some families that have to live on income support, but we don’t need to make it disrespectful. We need to ensure that the program is delivered in a very dignified and respectful manner for recipients of income support.
There are some areas I’m interested in. One of them is the youth centre in looking to see if there are ways of trying to collaborate and co-ordinate on the few resources that we might have at the community level to ensure that we develop programs that are fairly efficient, at the same time create at least a forum for youth to come together and work together and experience leadership, at the same time a community service. But sometimes they just don’t have a place that they could hang out. I know there are restraints in terms of capital dollars for building new centres, but perhaps maybe we can begin laying the seeds for perhaps some eventual centres in some of the communities and see if perhaps we can work on that.
Another instance is the idea of a trade centre, perhaps in my home community of Fort Providence. It has been raised and it’s been discussed. At some point I think there could be an opportunity to meet with departmental officials and community leadership. I look forward to that opportunity and to work with the officials to realize an opportunity to try and establish a trade centre.
Of course, I also have some interest and we have been working on the Early Childhood Development Initiative for some time. There have been some very successful Aboriginal historic programs in some communities, including Fort Providence. I would like to understand what the relationship is that exists now, if there is one. What kind of co-operation? What kind of co-ordination is being done so that we build from people that have worked in the fields, to try to learn from their experience and make successful programs delivered?
I have an interest in history, too. For one, to see if there could be some initiatives to perhaps undertake community history projects so that you have a group of people at least do some research, perhaps in the end have a document that can be shared among all the governments and departments including the communities. I have a particular interest in that.
Languages, of course, I have always believed in my language and to see if there is a way that we can maybe make the link between language and radio. I know there are some very successful and established radio stations across the North, especially small communities. They become a very accepted medium within communities where it is relied upon right from morning until the evening, and not just only for bingos. It is there to give information out. I think it’s undervalued and it could be used to perhaps advance language initiatives. I know there have been some projects that have been successful, but I feel that we perhaps could do more.
With those comments, in closing, I think the school in Fort Providence, under the leadership of our principal Lois, has done some great things. It has been very successful. I look forward to the next year in terms of trying to work with them and do as much as we can. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Next on the list is Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I welcome the Minister and delegation here today. In fact, it’s nice to see fresh faces. It’s nice to see smiling faces. I see a lot of pink out there too. That is also nice to see. Thank you again to the department for their kind, generous offer today with the carnations. I think carnations are a real nice touch. On behalf of the Assembly, thank you for your thoughtfulness.
With all this newness that we have in the department, I am very optimistic what I’m hearing from the Minister. I see a lot of good things in the opening comments. I am very optimistic that we should have a very good and dynamic year. I will say that for the record.
I also would like to comment on the opening address, picking out certain key things that jumped out of the page when I read, and also indicate certain things of caution in the wind in terms of maybe we need to slow down and look at some things. Please keep that in mind as I’m going through the opening address here.
The advantage of that, Madam Chair, is the fact that now we’ve got these cultural consultants that can actually depict the proper cultural sensitivity when these exact film producers come back up north. So it’s reciprocal. It’s something they can provide to us in terms of the means of advancing a career. On the flip side, we are going to be able to provide them the right cultural capacity so when they are doing their film, their national/international films, they are depicting the right cultural sensitivity. So I think it’s a win/win here and I’m really hoping that with that, we can find a winning solution.
With the official languages, I’m pleased to see that we’re spending $15 million to support Aboriginal languages and programs. However, I’m also concerned that language use for Aboriginal language is in serious decline. We’ve seen the statistics. We were with you there toe to toe. We’re concerned. We have five of the NWT Aboriginal languages that have less than 500 speakers. That’s significant. So when we’re spending this type of money, I caution the department to always keep that in consideration. Are there other ways to use that money more wisely so we can get a bigger impact? You just heard from Member Nadli, radio. How much emphasis do we put on radio? It sounds like it’s a great opportunity to look at that in our communities. So I challenge the department. We’ve got a brand new team here. Let’s think outside the box. Let’s not just keep throwing money in the same direction that we have. We’ve got a languages board, we’ve got a revitalization board, we’ve got a lot of tools out there to help with languages, but I’m gravely concerned that just throwing money at existing programs is not going to bring languages back. So I challenge this brand new team with the Minister to come up with better ways.
Early childhood development, I am very pleased with where this is going with the department and I continue to support them on their quest. I sat with the Minister of Education and the Minister of Health when we were doing our family resource centre talks with the community. I’m glad to see that we’ve got two pilot buildings, or two pilot sites to lead in Ndilo, but I’m also challenging the department, don’t just rest your laurels on that. I’m sure if you went back and looked at all the comments from all the participants, they are very, very supportive. The community is ready and willing, so if we are able to get these pilots off the ground this year, let’s push the agenda. Let’s get these out there. They want to build capacity, there is a lot of building capacity we can do in this area, so I challenge the department to push that agenda. Don’t wait until the last year of our Assembly to make these big announcements. Let’s use time on our side while we’re here.
I’m also pleased, Madam Chair, that they are completing all the actions outlined in the Child Daycare Inspection. Of course, this is a direct result of the Auditor General of Canada, and I’m pleased to see that this is part of your opening address and your commitment to that. I challenge you to continue.
K to 12, we know that school enrollments are on the decline in the Northwest Territories. That’s a challenge. So I also say in the same breath as I said how we preserve our languages, I also say let’s be very, very careful and conscientious how we’re spending $166 million, please. When you have a decline and you’re still throwing money in the same way, we’ve got to think outside the box. I’m going to challenge your department in the details of this budget but throughout the next fiscal year as well.
Launching NWT Elders in Schools, all I can say is top notch. That is an incredible leap and I encourage you to continue down that way.
Inclusive Schooling program, the Minister and department are very much aware that there have been a lot of comments in the House. Many Members have made reference to the concern that we’ve removed some of those funds and we have to put them back. But I’m saying if we are going to put them back, let’s be smart about it. We need to redefine the distribution of money and we have to base it on the needs of the students and not by a formula assessment which we did before. I say that again, the needs of the students and not by formula assessment. The money has to follow the students, not the school boards. I want you to make sure that that’s emphasized, if possible, in the next year.
Advanced education, the Minister and I had an opportunity to be a participant with Skills Canada. I really encourage you to continue with that program. It’s not mentioned in your opening address, but I think it should be. I think it may have been a miss. I’m hoping the department and the Minister is equally committed with Skills Canada in terms of its ongoing ability to entice and flush out all these students that we could put to work and give them the tools. More so, the Minister is very much aware of my passion, and the only time you get excited is when you go down there and see these kids yourself and watch our students do incredible things and compete on a national stage and win, not bronze, not silver, but gold. So we’ve got to be pretty proud of what those kids have achieved for the NWT.
More so, the Minister and I looked at the opportunity down in areas where they’ve had their national competitions, and it was called Try a Trade. The Try a Trade program we can’t offer here because it involves bringing that skill set to the Northwest Territories, but the Try a Trade program allowed students to try trades that they would never ever see. I encourage that we put some money towards Skills Canada to not only bring our regional winners but bring those students that show, by investing some time and energy, show them trades that they have never seen before. Let’s open up their eyes. If anything else, they are a booster squad to our regional winners and it’s okay to have cheerleaders down there, as I found out. The more noise you make, the better I feel, and I encourage you to do that.
Again, I appreciate the commitment and response to the Auditor General’s review to education and the accountability framework. Again, anything to do with the Auditor General, you will get 100 percent from this Member here.
Last but not last, the Student Financial Assistance, I am very pleased to see there is more money to go into supporting students and, also, with living allowances. That’s definitely on the right track. The only thing I brought up a number of times, and it still doesn’t seem to be resonating on the radar, is our appeals process for SFA is in dire need of an overhaul. So I’m challenging this new crop, this new group of senior people here with education, to put that on the radar for this next fiscal year.
In summary, Madam Chair, it comes down to two key areas to which I’m hoping the department – again this is on my perspective and observation, not only as a member but also as an academic – there’s two striking features that I think we have to focus on if we are going to truly have a direct impact with our kids. One, without a doubt, is increasing our graduation rates. That is a true key indicator, a performance indicator, and I think everything we do as educators, everything we do as a department needs to focus around graduation rates. We have to push that number up and be on par with our provincial counterparts.
Number two in my books, in terms of the best measurable possible, is keeping kids in the classroom. One statistic that drove me, and I was just stunned by, is that for every six years of education, there are a number of students that miss one year. So by the time they graduate, out of K to 12, they would have missed two years of education. Now, that is a statistic that is incredible. It doesn’t matter how much money you put in there, we have to keep these kids in their seats. How do we do that? That’s the challenge I have for you. At the end of the day, that involves your graduation rates and then we deal with things like functional grade level. You can’t get functional grade level if you miss two years of school by the time you get to Grade 12.
So I want to put a lens on those two areas of statistics. I challenge the department to always have that under their hat when they’re dealing with issues. Does it meet the means test? Everything you do. Graduation rates and keeping these kids in the classroom. I think if we can do those two, we are well on our way, Madam Chair. Thank you very much for your time.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Next is Mr. Bouchard.
