Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement today, I raised the issue of the Yellowknife Day Care situation here that’s in a GNWT-owned building. I want to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about why he’s forcing them out of that particular building by July 31st of next year. Furthermore, what is in there in terms of flexibility considering the circumstance of the single point that 55 children have nowhere to go? That also means it impacts the parents as well as the more than dozen staff that work there. I want to first start off with why is the department forcing this daycare to find somewhere else to operate?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This Yellowknife Day Care Association has been given a minimal of two years’ notice of the particular building. In mid-2014, ECE indicated to the daycare that they needed to consider alternative accommodation because of the age of the building. Also, in mid-2015, just recently my department also met with the daycare again to get an update of their efforts to find an alternative accommodation. On July 31, 2016, that’s when we are giving them a date to find an alternative solution. They are expeditiously looking for options as well. My department has been working very closely with them and we will continue to push that forward.
Well, let’s go down that little path about his office diligently working with them. They only received formal notice a couple days ago on this particular initiative. They’ve been approached even not that long ago to say, well, let’s kick them out in March, but I think someone understood that little kids walking with small lunch bags and suitcases and maybe boxes that are probably bigger than them looking for a place to go is probably not the right public image they want.
In short, the daycare says no one from ECE is working with them. They’ve said, “Hey, July 31, there’s the door, be out, find your own place.” What is the department really doing when he says they’re doing something, because they don’t know, nobody there knows. We need real facts, not just platitudes about we care about kids, we’ll do stuff about kids. I want to see actions and results.
That’s absolutely not true. My department has been meeting with the Yellowknife Day Care Association on numerous occasions. Since mid-2014, we’ve been meeting with them, giving them options to consider and working with them. We have provided some assistance from my department so they can explore other options as well. We will continue, again, working with the organization to find an alternative solution as well.
I could go on at length how the president of the association had told me how the old DM and the present DM met with them and told them they’re out the door and they have to figure it out on their own. But you know what? If all we’re going to do here is point fingers, we haven’t solved a darn thing about the daycare spaces that will be in serious crisis about it.
Let’s go to the next problem, which is what is the department really going to do to help them? Can they help them in the same way we helped the folks in Inuvik, who deserved and needed good help? This government has been known to provide lease money. It’s been known to provide mortgage money. Heck, we could even extend the building lease or we could even give them the building lease. Wait a minute. I’m doing all the job for the Minister here. Somebody on that side of the House needs to provide solutions to the daycare. Please, give me some solutions.
I’m just reiterating that it’s been two years in the making. I have stated that July 2016 is the date that has been given to them. Two years in the making. Within that two years there have been several meetings where the Member may not be fully aware of. I have the facts. I have the information here that I can share with the Member if he wishes. These are the dates that I have that my department has met with them. Again, we are working with them. We just met with them last week to try and find some alternative solutions. My department is working with the YK Daycare Association and will continue to do so.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has done nothing but cause frustration with me. That is because all he’s talked about is, sure, we’ve met with them and I can provide you the dates and good things like that. I keep wanting to know what are you going to do. The daycare, yesterday, I believe, sent out an e-mail to all their parents. I believe they, as they do in daycare, they put the letter in the bag for the kids to make sure they take it home so the parents aren’t surprised. All those parents have been informed. Fifty-five parents have been informed that this daycare’s history, life story and journey is coming to an end.
I want to hear what the Minister is going to do, not talk about meeting, meeting, meeting. I think we are all getting tired of that answer.
Is the Minister working to provide a location, money, lease guarantees, mortgage guarantees, to help these kids out? Mr. Speaker, two daycares are the same. We have to make sure this doesn’t hit a crisis. Thank you.
I have already answered. We are working with the YK Day Care Association to find an alternative solution. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
