Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have spoken before about the difficulties families in Tsiigehtchic face in finding good homes for their children when they have to complete high school in Inuvik. The local district education authority has a potential solution for the problem. It plans to bus students in grades 10 and 12 to Fort McPherson each day. Busing would not be first on all students who cannot complete high school studies in Tsiigehtchic. It will be an option for those who find Fort McPherson a more appropriate choice. It is difficult for high school students to leave home, and busing would keep families together longer.
It was a very practical idea, Mr. Speaker. The two communities are only 57 kilometres apart. Family and cultural ties are very close. I am pleased to point out that there is a precedence for daily short haul busing of students. This has worked out very well for students from Enterprise who go to Hay River. That is a 42-kilometre commute, so it is fairly comparable to the situation in Tsiigehtchic.
Of course, there’s a modest cost to begin busing students to Fort McPherson. An appropriate vehicle, driver and insurance will be needed, but I believe it will eventually prove cheaper and better than sending students to Inuvik, at least some students. I will be asking the Education Minister to fund a pilot project through the Beaufort-Delta Education Council.
Mr. Speaker, I want to comment briefly about traditions. We support many traditions, but some are not very great. Delta communities have a tradition of sending their students to Inuvik. It’s now automatic, that’s what we do. But where did that come from? It began with residential schools. We all know it’s a very painful period in our history. Our people, our schools and our governments are moving beyond that now. I am very glad with all the progress we’ve made.
The DEA’s idea to bus students from Tsiigehtchic to Fort McPherson is one step in that progress, and we should support it.
Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
