Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question really was whether there's any more work of this type coming along. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Minister.
Yes, we're always looking at ways that we can improve the systems and supports that we give to our stakeholders and our partners. The one thing that I did mention in the Minister's statement is that we're looking at multi-year funding agreements right now just on a year-to-year basis. We're looking at ways that can make it easier for operators to stay open and still be able to do their operations and have them a little more stable and sustainable as well in terms of not having to always come back and reapply for that funding.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate that the multi-year funding would be a benefit. I'm just wondering about the administrative burden, like if some of these programs listed here were amalgamated where they share a common focus, whether this would in fact reduce the departmental overhead and put more money into the frontline services. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Mr. Minister?
Each pot of funding has a different set of criteria to follow in terms of how you access it and we're always looking at ways we can improve it. That's something you'd take a look as well and see if there's anything in there to do something similar as we did to the arts operating funding.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Ms. Green.
I'm pleased to hear the Minister say that because for example there are a number of pots of money that deal with heritage and with languages and with performers and maybe there's some scope to bring them all together. That's just a remark. Thank you, that's all for me.
Thank you, Ms. Green. Recognizing Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. First thing in regards to the minority language education, second language, instruction, French, I heard the Minister say it was federal funding. Is this a cost share or is it 100 per cent funded by the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Minister.
As mentioned, earlier within some of the other discussions around how we fund French and Aboriginal languages, obviously we do utilize all the federal funding and sometimes we do top it up with some of our funding as well, GNWT funding.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Could the Minister provide what percentage is federal and what percentage is territorial? Thank you.
Thanks, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
One hundred per cent federal for some of these line items, and then as I mentioned earlier that some pots of funding is dollar for dollar but this one's 100 per cent federal. Sorry, and further in terms of the funding that we give through GNWT, if he wants the percentages we'll have to do the calculations and get that to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
If it's 100 per cent funding from the feds, I just need to know if that budget line is 100 per cent funding feds for the French program or is there a percentage that the territorial government puts in there. I think I heard the Minister say it was 100 per cent. 100 per cent/. I don't think I need to have a breakdown if that's what it is. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
For the minority language education line item, the $2.5 million, that's entirely federal dollars. As I mentioned, our government does top up other programs in French and Aboriginal languages. In terms of percentages with other areas, we can get that information to the Member.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. You still have time, Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the arts organizations operating funds, just kind of a comment. It was kind of confusing. If they could actually do a budget line or like a description and say this is where the money went to I think it would have helped alleviate some of the questions we have. Some of the organizations out there that'll be looking for this funding may be sitting there going, well, the money's gone, and not realize it's out there in another pot. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
Thanks. Appreciate the comment and I know our department works very well with our stakeholders, so any of these changes, we'll make sure that they're passed on to the appropriate previous applicants if they see that funding might not be aware.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
I'm not sure if it's junior kindergarten in this section or on page 70, so can the Minister clarify questions for junior kindergarten to be on this page or page 70? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
Some of that funding is in the previous K to 12 budget that we had. There’s other areas within this one that also funds some of the programs, some of the services and resources that they need in the communities.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to the PTR and junior kindergarten we had a presentation by the department. Can you please explain to us what the pupil-teacher ratio is going to be for the implementation of junior kindergarten? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
Yes, and I know that some information is brought forth to standing committee in terms of getting that information out. We are always looking at ways to improve our ratio moving forward in terms of pupil-teacher ratios, and that's one area that we are looking at.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm not sure… Is it confidential presently or are we able to provide that information to the public, what the pupil-teacher ratio is for junior kindergarten? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Mr. Minister.
Thank you. One of the options that we did present to committee was a 12:1 ratio for junior kindergarten. We are always looking at options. As I said, with the junior kindergarten being implemented during the presentation we did say in the academic year of 2017. We've still got a lot of consultations to do. We're going to be speaking with the communities and the schools that have implemented junior kindergarten, see how it's working with them, take some of the best practices, learn from the challenges moving forward. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for sharing, and I wasn't too sure how this all works. I applaud you guys and I appreciate the fact that you guys are going to go out there and share this information of best practices. Just one final question on this here. This is not going to have an impact on the other student-teacher ratio that we presently have in the schools? Junior kindergarten is basically 12:1? Is this correct, Mr. Chair?
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Your time is up, so I'll recognize that as the last question. Your answer, Mr. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The PTR that we got for junior kindergarten will not affect PTR from other older grades and throughout the school system. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My question is in regards to the funding for Aboriginal organization and Aboriginal languages. It notes here 2016 and 2015-16 there hasn't been a change. At least $4.859 million has been accorded to Aboriginal languages. My question is to the Minister, what portion of that is designated to the 11 Aboriginal official languages? I mean, maybe to try to set the context of the question is that I understand like there's these 11 official languages, but then we have regions. Like say my region, the Deh Cho, we speak Slavey and Dene and, you know, similarly up north they would speak the Gwich'in languages. Which portion of the $4.8 million is given to the language groups? Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Minister.
Thank you. Of that money, about $3.5 million is given to the Aboriginal language communities. It's something that we worked on through the last government in terms of providing funding for the Aboriginal groups/organizations so they can start delivering their programs to try to revitalize it. We're also always working with the federal government to try to get more money in this particular area as well as looking at trying to create multi-year agreements with them on terms of seeking funding for Aboriginal languages. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Nadli.
Thank you. If I could understand it correctly, Minister, of the $4.859 million, $3.5 million is accorded to Aboriginal groups? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Mr. Minister.
Yes, $3.523 million to the language communities. We also fund the Aboriginal language and culture instructors, and some funding going to teaching and learning centres as well.
