Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At one point or another, everyone here, I think it’s probably safe to say, grew up with radio in the background, in the bush or else in their homes. Radio continues to be an effective medium of communication for Aboriginal languages. It’s a vital net that bonds everyone together in the smaller communities.
My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The $6,000 a year grant has not increased since 2001. That’s very concerning. Why hasn’t ECE supported community broadcasting and not increased it for so long, especially trying to even consider it perhaps in terms of inflation as well? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I agree that radio is an effective means of communicating throughout the Northwest Territories and we must support that in any means we possibly can. There’s also a federal partnership. The federal government contributes to NCS and we contribute up to $6,000 per community for the operation. The Member is asking why it hasn’t been increased. This is an area that we can definitely look at. Again, it’s based on our agreement with the federal government and our funding within the GNWT. So this is an area we can definitely look at. Mahsi.
It’s encouraging that the Minister is committing to review such a priority for small communities. Has ECE taken the steps to review or evaluate the community broadcasting program, and if so, when was it done and what was the conclusion? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, when it comes to community broadcasting, we work closely with the NCS. NCS does the overall Northwest Territories broadcasting in Aboriginal languages. Those are the avenues that we work with.
In re-evaluating our own programming, I’ll have to get back to the Member if there has been a review of all programming. If not, then we’ll need to pursue that in those areas. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of trying to lay the foundation, and this government has indicated, quite publicly, it’s partnership principle of working with communities and agencies such as NCS, would the Minister commit to ensure that that partnership is developed and supported, and at the same time, would the Minister increase the maximum grant per community and the overall budget of the Community Broadcasting Program? Mahsi.
We are putting a lot of pressure on the federal government. We’ve met with the CEO of NCS. There’s another meeting on June 3rd to deal with that matter. There’s been a proposal submitted by NCS for upgrading equipment and so forth. Part of that discussion is the $6,000 maximum that we’ve been allowing to the communities.
Again, the Member has raised a point of possibly reviewing the program. That’s a commitment I’m making, that we’ll be re-evaluating our contribution. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s encouraging, once again, to hear the Minister commit to a working relationship with NCS. I know this, perhaps, could take a medium- to long-term solution, looking at trying to draw the federal government in as well.
In the interim and in the immediate need, would the Minister work with NCS to set up a maintenance and technology fund to address the immediate needs of long-term health of community equipment, especially with communities that right now are not able to access the House and be aware of what’s happening in the NWT? There are some communities that don’t have radio stations because the equipment is down.
Would the Minister step in at this point and commit to work with NCS immediately? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, June 3rd is a meeting with the CEO of NCS. I do believe that type of discussion will take place. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
