Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday we brought in a motion on early childhood development to show our concern that we want this government, our government, to focus on building a strong foundation for our future, whether it’s training, funding or structures.
We are, indeed, challenged with a fiscal responsibility of keeping afloat in the waters of economic uncertainty. However, we have set our goals in the 17th and we must, by all means, do our best to get there. We are approaching the critical mass of which infrastructure projects will see the light of day within this government. So much, yet so little.
Today I bring to this floor in this House the wishes of the people of Colville Lake. The people of Colville Lake, their vision is to have a decent, proper school. Let me tell you what all 54 children have to go through day in and day out these past years to get a decent education, and yet we expect our children to have this good education. All we need to do is see the Alberta Achievement Test results of how well our children are doing in our small communities.
In Colville Lake there are two buildings. There’s a portable building and a log structure. That’s their school. It’s open in the building; there are no walls. In the kindergarten classes there are four grades in one room. It’s difficult to teach children, I was told by the teachers, due to the noise and other activities going on in the same room.
There are FASD children who require different learning, teaching, and need a room just for themselves. There’s no gymnasium in their school. Students have to carry their recreation equipment across town just to get into a gymnasium, and that’s a small one.
Winter gets really cold, Mr. Speaker. The lack of space, the recreational equipment and school supplies are stored in sheds outside. Every space in the school is stuffed and there’s no room. There are no planning facilities for the teachers to do their planning.
Children are expanding each year. As I said, there are 54 children, with six more coming next year. More issues are more important, but these are critical.
We are truly grateful to the government for putting in proper washrooms and facilities with running water. It’s taken about eight years, ever since I became an MLA, to get this done. I’m asking for a new school. I was wondering, if it took eight years…
Mr. Yakeleya, your time for Member’s statement is expired.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
It took eight years to get proper washroom facilities in our school. Could this be a measurement on how long a new school may be coming to Colville Lake? I want this government to examine clearly the benefits of building this school against the other projects when the time comes to determine which infrastructure projects we can take on in this government.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
