Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the Food First Program in the schools. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment questions on that. Would the Minister thoroughly examine the ECE budget with the staff to find money to continue the Food First Program?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We just went through the budget process and it’s been approved by this Assembly. Every year we go through the business planning cycle. I’m sure this Food First Program will be before us again once we go through the process.
I must highlight that there are programs available as well, as I indicated, on the Healthy Food for Learning. There is upwards of $380,000 that’s been dispersed to all schools. Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative to focus on absenteeism and attendance, this is an area that’s been discussed as well. We have over $30,000 in that respect. There is money out there through our government and also the federal funding, that we’ve highlighted in the House already that those schools can access as well.
I’d like to thank the Minister for that response, however, it appears as though the Food First Program that’s essentially feeding the kids in school is going to discontinue on March 31st. Could the Minister check right now with the department and see if it’s possible to find money to at least continue the food program in the schools until the end of the school year? That’s three more months, that’s it.
I, again, indicated that the schools are receiving funding. With our budget that’s been approved, it has been allocated to various different programs in the schools. The majority of our funding also goes to the school boards and they decide where the money should be distributed, based on their interest in the students, the teachers, the programming. The school boards can also decide on the various areas that they can allocate funding. If it’s going to be towards the Food First Program, then it’s at their discretion to work with that. There are other program dollars that we have identified and will continue to support those funds as well.
It appears as though the money is...all the other money that the Minister is speaking of is allocated to other programs. This money for the Food First Program was scheduled to be one-year money, that is true, but it’s been such a huge success that I’m wondering if the department would look at actually replacing this program. If this program is going to end regardless on March 31st, then would the department find a program that’s similar that they can achieve the same results that this program has achieved since its inception?
With any pilot project that’s been undertaken in the past we’ve always reviewed the program, how successful it’s been or if there are areas for improvement, and then taken into consideration as we move forward if we need to reintegrate that into our business planning cycle. If it’s been successful, let’s look at it; if not, then there’s room for improvement. This is an area that has been earmarked for discussion. As a pilot project, we’ve done the pilot project for a year and we’re here now. It’s sunsetting but, as the Member is indicating, maybe the program should be reviewed. As I stated, any program that’s been initiated as a pilot project, obviously there’s a review that needs to take place as well.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister then direct an evaluation of that program to look at all the positive impacts that program has had on all the schools across the North? Would the Minister then direct his staff to do that evaluation immediately?
The program is sunsetting the end of the month. As I stated, with any pilot program initiative that’s been undertaken, there’s a need for re-evaluating the program if it’s been successful. Discussion comes forward after that. As we move forward to the business planning cycle, this I’m sure will be a topic of discussion as well.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.
