Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my Member’s statement, I highlighted some of the problems we face in regards to apprenticeships in the regional centres, and I imagine they are much worse in the smaller communities. I have had business owners and journeymen comment to me that the system is better putting up roadblocks than helping Northerners achieve success. I ask the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment what his department is doing to specifically address the issues we face in regional centres and small communities, given that the current system is inadequate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are various ways that the department is working with our stakeholders to adjust the issue that the Member brought up. First of all, through Aurora College, we do offer trades technical training at Thebacha Campus. We also work with the Mobile Trades Training Unit in Aurora College up in Inuvik. As with Skills 4 Success Initiative that I mentioned in previous answers to questions earlier this week, through implementation programs, programs are being aligned with identified labour market needs. With that said, we also want to make sure that communities and regional centres and organizations also take some of the responsibility, and through that, we do have some regional training partnership committees that focus on some of these areas. We’re looking at what they are bringing forward, and seeing how we can implement those areas. Mind you, the department is working with Public Works and Services, and the NWT Housing Corporation with apprenticeship programs as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Given the frustrations that have been expressed by entrepreneurs and journeymen and the Chamber of Commerce, will the government commit to meaningfully consulting small- and mediumsized businesses in the regional centres as they improve existing programs and develop new programs?
The government is committed. We are a partner on the regional training committees that have a wide range of partners and key stakeholders that work with other GNWT departments, the Aurora College, divisional education committees, Aboriginal governments, business development corporations. So yes, we are committed because we do sit on these regional training partnerships, and almost every region in the Northwest Territories does have these regional training partnership committees, and we are still committed to working with them to address some of the issues that the Member has brought up.
Just a comment: I look forward to working with the Minister on solving some of these issues, and I will be following up on the progress they are making on the floor of this House in the future.
Masi. I will take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
