Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to follow up on my Member’s statement as well as Dechinta University.
When the organizers began Dechinta University, probably more than five years ago when they were dreaming their dreams, they were focusing on establishing a university in the Northwest Territories.
What is our strategy, our position on establishing a university in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. When I first met with Erin Ballantyne in 2009, I believe, or even sooner than that… No, when I first was elected as Minister of Education, she presented to me and I told her you had me at hello.
---Laughter
This was a very exciting project at the beginning and I still have a vision of where Dechinta University is going. It is before us now and we are currently discussing it. We have to work with all the partners as well. There is also the Aurora Research Institute in Inuvik with Skills for Success as well. All the different initiatives have to come into line with the Dechinta University and the programs they offer and all the stakeholders we need to engage with. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I’m glad the Minister has a working relationship with the Dechinta University since its formation. Where they are heading these days is they’ve proven themselves in the last five years and their name is out there, not only in the Northwest Territories but right across Canada and internationally, as well, in that people are interested. They are saying you’ve got a university, but I think, yes, it’s a university in name but I think the request is to get the name, Dechinta Bush University into the Education Act so it can be accredited to offer their own major and/or minor diploma to our northern students or anyone who is attending.
I asked the Minister earlier about the strategy for getting a university and now this question is about recognizing that we can and should be the Dechinta University into the NWT Education Act so that they can be accredited in issuing their own diplomas. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
As I stated, there’s a variety of parties that we need to work with. With the college campuses we have in the Northwest Territories, obviously we deliver degree programs, we deliver master’s programs and Dechinta also offers university programs. So we are doing very preliminary work with the work that Dechinta has done to date and what programs the college is offering at this point. There is a variety of partners that we have in southern institutions and how can we best put that into perspective as a northern university program deliverer. Those are some of the areas that we are currently discussing today and we are involving the Dechinta team as well. They will be part of the process along the way because they provide valuable information as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
I know the Minister is talking about it being a longer process than we expect. Of course, it’s like many things in government, it takes a while to change initiatives or steer the ship.
In terms of that, what’s the department’s position on increasing support and funding for the Dechinta Bush University programming that’s out there? Mahsi.
Within our Education department we have contributed, over the last three years, our contribution, because I feel that Dechinta can go places with the program that they are currently delivering. They are very unique compared to other programming that we currently deliver in the Northwest Territories. So we will continue to subsidize them; we’ll continue to support them. In 2013-14, obviously, we provided $153,000 as a kick-start. In 2014-15 it went up to $415,000. So these are the discussions that we are currently having, what kinds of resources that are required. Again, they’re very different. They’re very unique. So, those are considerations that we are talking about, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Also, since we’re also talking about representing Canada with the Dechinta Bush University program, I’d like to ask the Minister on his next visit to his federal counterparts, or if there are any others – perhaps CanNor can be approached – about having a federal investment in our Dechinta Bush University and federal supports.
I’d like to ask the Minister, can he do that the next time he meets with his federal counterparts? Mahsi.
Most definitely. These are discussions that we need to have at a higher level as well. CanNor could be a partner in this. They have been a partner in various initiatives within the GNWT. So I will be presenting that, as well, where they stand with a northern university.
I believe it was around 2008-2009 when we presented the idea of a university in the North. Obviously, they want to focus on the program delivery, the federal perspective. We need to get an updated status on that. If we can expand on that, by all means, I’ll be pushing that Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. I’m going to remind the Members today on the clock, we had eight sets of questions in 15 minutes. So I want to make sure the Members that are going on a preamble for your questioning, shorten it up and let’s get rolling here. Ms. Bisaro.
