Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday at our three campuses across the Northwest Territories, students and staff kicked off the Aurora College Week with an open house. In fact, this open house right across the Northwest Territories was held simultaneously on our three campuses using videoconferencing, including a demonstration of how courses will be delivered using this new technology, examples of course presentation methods and discussion of career opportunities for graduates. It came at a perfect time in terms of all the discussion around the Mackenzie Fibre Optic Link. This week also is a great opportunity to highlight the programs and services in education and training at our three campuses, not only at those campuses but the numerous learning centres that we have in our small communities.
This week also allows for the public to meet our staff at various events as well as meet the students and how they’re enjoying the programs that they’ve been involved in and how the quality of programs is being delivered. It’s a great opportunity for the public to engage our staff and students at all of our campuses and support them by attending various events in Inuvik, Fort Smith and here in Yellowknife.
In terms of talking about support, standing committee does in fact support the staff as well as supporting the students, and this was made relevant when standing committee last year met with the students here at the Yellowknife Campus where we heard a lot of their concerns, heard a lot of issues that they had within the campus as well as with space and, in some cases, student services. Following that, committee did meet with the Board of Governors as well as the executive to look at how we can address some of these concerns for our students so that they can get the best education possible.
I, as the Member representing Inuvik Boot Lake, had the opportunity earlier last year to meet with the Board of Governors in Inuvik and bring up some issues about the Inuvik campus, lack of programming services, but also bringing up some concerns that standing committee did have, and I just want to acknowledge the Aurora College for reaching out to standing committee to allow them to have a Member present at the Board of Governors meetings.
I will be asking questions of the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment today about those recommendations that came from standing committee.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON
REGIONAL STRUCTURES
IN THE SAHTU REGION
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Freedom. Such a powerful word. People fight for it, children yearn for it, companies aspire to it and governments protect it at all costs. As individuals, we cherish it. Sahtu region wants its freedom, wants its independence. We have tasted it. We have known what it is like to have departments slowly coming into the regions ourselves to make our own decisions based on the realities of the Sahtu lifestyle.
The time has come for the other regions to let go of their shackles on the Sahtu and allow it to make its own decisions.
For example, the Department of Transportation, airports decisions come from Inuvik. On the highways, decisions come from the Fort Simpson regional office. Even the Department of Public Works, the decisions come from the Inuvik region. We are not allowed, through this bureaucratic red tape process, to make our own decisions. The Sahtu is asking for that independence. Given the ability and the technology today, we want our own region. We cannot be penalized for not being big enough or not having an all-season highway or not having enough employees, for all of the excuses the government says why we shouldn’t be an independent region like any other region.
The Sahtu people today want to know why the government isn’t allowing it to be an independent region, a stand-alone region to come to the table like any other region and say we are a full partnership in this territorial government.
I’ll ask questions to the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
