My apologies, Mr. Speaker, and my apologies to the Minister there. Like I said, I just want to follow up to questions about these reports that I’ve been trying to catch up on and getting reports on.
Under these last stakeholder meetings, there were nine sessions held throughout the Northwest Territories between 2009-2010. There were 36 organizations that participated and in collaboration with about 21 different strategies and initiatives. So a lot of information out there. Also in the report are 30 recommendations that were given to the department.
Is there an update on these 30 recommendations, and at the symposium will the stakeholders be updated on those 30 recommendations that were from the previous report? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. The Minister of Education, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. That information that we received, whether it be the 21 different strategies, there was the 30 recommendations. Our government has done a lot of work in this area. Most of the information that we collect, obviously, is through our negotiation with the federal government through the Labour Market Development Agreement, Labour Market Agreement, the Canada-NWT Job Fund that we successfully negotiated. We compiled the information, shared it with the Minister of the day with the federal government. That is information that we’ve been compiling.
Obviously, during our engagement with the general public, as I stated, starting today, February 23rd until March 2nd, all that information will be highlighted as well. Again, we’re building on the successful work that we’ve done over the years, hearing the NWT’s perspective on how we can develop an action plan and how we can move forward. Mahsi.
I appreciate the work that the department is doing in this area, but like I said, we’ve got a lot of recommendations, a lot of strategies out there. We’ve got to start putting money and our resources into creating action, creating jobs, creating the training that’s needed. Actually, in one of the reports one of the consultants identifies what is happening in each of the regions. Deh Cho has zinc; Sahtu has the oil and gas; Inuvik we have the Inuvik-Tuk highway, Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link; South Slave has Avalon Metals resource development all over these regions. Why aren’t our people getting the jobs and the training that they need?
One of the things that came out of this report was the implementation of regional training committees. Can the Minister give me an update on how many committees we have in the regions and how actively are they working on creating the training and the jobs that we need in the small communities and the regions? Thank you.
The Member is raising this profile because there is still a lot of work that needs to be done, information that we’re compiling. The fibre optic was in discussion in 2009. Now it’s here, 2015-2016, and it’s going to be happening. We need to have the resources and we need to have the information on how many are required, positions that are required, the talented individuals, the skillsets required and also the Sahtu training institute that’s been brought up in this House. We’re compiling all of that information. We’re getting the people ready for all this work that is out there, whether it be oil and gas, whether it be Fibre Optic Link.
We’re doing what we can as a department. With all of the information we want to develop an action plan. That’s what our goal and objective is. Mahsi.
I think all you need to hear is from the communities and the regions. Look at some of our statistics for unemployment. As I mentioned, I don’t think we need to reinvent the wheel and create an action plan. We know what’s out there. We know what we need to do. We know where we need to put the money to invest in our greatest resource right now, which is our people.
What is the cost to the taxpayer and this government for these regional engagement sessions that the Minister is embarking on during this week? Thank you.
Mahsi. The specific information, which highlights how much it would cost us to reach out to the key people, the stakeholders, the industry representatives, community members, leadership, I don’t have that information here but I can provide that to the Member. But this is an area that we need to seek input. The more information the better, then we can develop an action plan. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree. The more information we get from our people speaking up, the better we can go ahead and make the decisions that we need to do. But there are 21 strategies and initiatives that I mentioned, not to mention the ones that have been developed since this consultation in 2009 and 2010.
I want to get back into the small communities. Because we’re going to be doing a symposium and I’m assuming that we’re going to invite the same people that we’re going to hear from at the regional sessions, I want to ask the Minister whether or not he can speak with his stakeholders to put the money from the regional centres sessions into possibly creating scholarships and getting our people educated, putting the money for people to get educated, and everybody else can meet when they come down for the symposium? Thank you.
The symposium, obviously, is geared towards I believe it’s the second week in March, March 11th to 12th I believe. This has been a long time in the works, and those individuals, obviously, will cover the small communities as well. Any input such as what the Member is sharing with us and others from the general public will be shared at that forum. Based on the report, obviously, they will create a framework that deals with the labour market in the whole Northwest Territories. So, we’ll do what we can to work with the stakeholders and have an action plan to move forwards with. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 8, written questions, Mr. Yakeleya.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to go back on the orders of the day to item number five.
---Unanimous consent granted
