Debates of October 18, 2006 (day 10)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the recent drastic federal cuts to literacy funding have hit the Northwest Territories Literacy Council particularly hard. They have depended on these program dollars for many years and have built important programs and services that communities across the NWT have come to rely on. These cuts will have a major impact on delivery of family community literacy programs and supports, and will affect aboriginal communities in particular. I understand the Minister will be meeting with his federal counterparts next Tuesday. Mr. Speaker, could the Minister please outline for the House his strategy to ensure our literacy programs are reinstated? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 115-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I told the House yesterday, the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada will be arranging a meeting with the Hon. Diane Finley, the federal Minister responsible for the literacy funding that was cut, next Tuesday. Our intention is to seek from the Minister some understanding of where the Minister is going. We've heard from the federal government that their intention is to fund federal programs, programs across the territorial and provincial boundaries across Canada. But I am hoping to make sure that she hears this, that is that if she is looking at expanding the programming available for aboriginal people that, if it is an on-reserve program, it won’t have any impact in the Northwest Territories. I will be ensuring that she is aware that we need to see programs in the North that are not aimed just at reserves. We are hoping that we will hear about the way in which the federal government will be coming back into the field and that we will see some reinvestment in the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 115-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the Minister is outlining the NWT’s perspective, that we are unique in the federal umbrella. The NWT Literacy Council has lost $344,000 as a result of the cuts. This funding represents three areas, Mr. Speaker, coalition funding, family and community literacy development and aboriginal literacy research project. Mr. Speaker, I think it is obvious that we cannot depend solely on the federal government anymore for support for literacy. What plans has the Minister made to support the NWT Literacy Council at this time to ensure that the essential services continue? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 115-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, the Government of the Northwest Territories funds the Literacy Council to the tune of about $440,000 this year. I have met with the executive director of the Literacy Council and have assured the council, through her, that we will look at what we can do to strengthen our funding. The total amount of money that this government is putting into literacy programming each year right now is in excess of $6 million. So we are going to obviously take a look at whether or not we should reprofile some of that money to better support the Literacy Council. We are going to take a look at all of the programming in the literacy field and make sure that we are concentrating our funding in the area that we see as having the highest priority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 115-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday one of our colleagues raised an issue about literacy cuts, and the Minister came back saying we are not in the position where I can reach into my back pocket today and replace the money that has been lost. Mr. Speaker, I feel that we, as a government, need to be on a standby where if there are drastic cuts then we need to be prepared for that. Also, the Minister quoted that we will not look at what we can do, or to see what he can do. I need to see some results action oriented. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister commit to providing core funding to the NWT Literacy Council so that they can continue providing uninterrupted programming to our communities? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 115-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do, in fact, provide some core funding to the Literacy Council right now. I have committed to them that we will look and see if there is an area that we can find and reallocate funds. But, as the Member knows, when we vote the money in this House, that money is parceled out. That is how it is designed to be spent. The millions of dollars that we have put into literacy funding, we have made commitments. There are commitments to the Literacy Council, to the college, to community groups, to all sorts of different areas where this money is being spent already. We don’t, in the department, keep a slush fund. I know that the Members opposite would not want to hear that we did keep a slush fund that we could reallocate monies from. I will look, though, to see what we can do, but I have warned the Literacy Council that for this year it is going to be very difficult for us to find new funds. We are looking more for next year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Supplementary To Question 115-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Literacy Council is an important element in the Northwest Territories and also the smaller communities. I just certainly hope that the Minister will seriously look into this, or his counterparts in the federal government, and lobby the government and hopefully re-establish the funding that has been lost. I just want to make that statement. Mahsi.