Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I spoke about how I look forward to the Aboriginal Languages Plan. However, I also mentioned that immersion programs lead to success in many languages. Not only aboriginal languages but throughout other jurisdictions immersion programs really work and they tend to support the local languages. I’d just like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment how many aboriginal immersion programs we have in the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I don’t have the exact number before me, but within the region I believe we offer… Within the three regions, but I have to get the facts for the Member, because I need to highlight the correct information that I can provide to the Member.
The vision that I shared earlier was that I’d like to see our aboriginal communities, of course, begin immersion programs. Even in our smallest communities it would be ideal, and a lot of our smaller communities, the majority are speaking an aboriginal language, like the community of Trout Lake. I don’t want to anticipate the Aboriginal Languages Plan, Mr. Speaker, but I’d like to ask the Minister, is there a current strategy to look at starting up immersion programs throughout our jurisdiction? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I think we need to focus on what we have before us today. It is part of the package and we are going to start implementing that. The language immersion in all schools, that is also our vision, starting from early childhood. Not only that, but we’ve heard over and over, even in the Sahtu region, the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, that there was a language that was spoken that we need to start from home. Parents need to talk to their kids at home. The teachers are there as a resource tool, but at the same time some teachers don’t speak the language. So it has to come from home. We are trying to produce more aboriginal speaking teachers, as well, with the credentials. There are some immersion programs in the regions, but we want to do more. This package will allow us to do that and work with the communities as well. Mr. Speaker, this package has fingerprints of all the Northwest Territories and it is a package of the Northwest Territories and we want to make it a successful project. Mahsi.
When I speak about immersion programs is where we’ll actually be teaching the children from K to 3 in an aboriginal language. Do we have a current program such like that in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Yes, we do. We provide immersion programs in some of the regions, probably not all regions as we wish that we could do, but we are working towards that. We’ve been given the direction, the guidance and also the support to deliver that. At the kindergarten level, or even earlier than that, the Head Start Program has been successful as well. Those are the discussions that we’ve had throughout the Northwest Territories and now we need to start implementing the total package that will be before us. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m glad to see that we are working on something. I don’t know if there’s an evaluation available on some of these programs, but that’s certainly something that I would like to see completed. As well, as we move forward with immersion programs, does the direction come from the Minister’s office or is that work, again, with the education councils? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve always respected working closely with the education councils and I will continue to do so. We cannot do this alone, implement this strategy. Definitely I will be seeking some guidance and support from the education councils and the Members as well. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
