Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, our staff is meeting with the superintendents right now on the roll-out of junior kindergarten. We are listening to any concerns that they may have had, as well as what we have heard from residents from across the Northwest Territories. Those discussions are going on right now. Once those meetings are completed, we can get better updates to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It is my understanding that ECE sends draft budgets to the school boards on almost a daily basis. In the most recent budget that was sent last night, there is no money for inclusive schooling. My question is: this is the Minister's pot of money to spend; when is he going to include JK in the inclusive schooling funding?
Junior kindergarten itself is a play-based program. Inclusive schooling is focused on helping students who need that extra assistance from the K to 12 system, and right now as we're implementing it we're continuing to evaluate the program and we'll see what comes out of these discussions with the superintendents and the boards.
The Minister can't have it both ways. He can't have junior kindergarten as a grade of education within the school system paid for by the school budgets and then say it's somehow exempt from the standard programming that applies to all the other students there, especially something as important as inclusive schooling, which is already being reduced in this budget. So my question once again is: when is the Minister going to include the money for inclusive schooling to extend to junior kindergarten?
When we are implementing junior kindergarten in the fall in the schools, students in the JK system will have access to all programs and services provided in the school, so there will be some supports there for them.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister just said there would be some supports there for them. Could the Minister please elaborate? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, support for students in the JK to 12 system that focus around inclusive schooling, they'll have access to those services and supports as well as even more teachers in the school system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the lack of lighting and signage signals at the highway crossing to the health centre in Hay River. The Minister said that there's, "A ton of signs." I just sent a scout out. There is one sign.
---Laughter
This is a description of what the sign does, "To warn road users making a turn that they will encounter a highway/rail grade crossing soon after making a turn." It says nothing about pedestrians. There are actually two signs. There's another sign indicating that's a new sign. There's one of those coming from each direction.
My point is there's really nothing you can see from a distance. There's not this barrage of signs that the Minister indicated. So can we get something? Can we get one of those solar-powered signs with words indicating, slow down, there might be pedestrians crossing here? Can we at least do that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Public Works and Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I remember correctly, I said earlier today that I would look at putting some kind of lighting up there. So I will look into and get back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
When can the people of Hay River expect to see their new signage installed?
Do you mean signage or do you mean lighting? Lighting, we've committed to having up here as soon as the ground thaws out. I have never said I was going to commit to new signage. I said we would look at putting up a temporary light to get us through until we can put the lighting system in once the ground thaws out, Mr. Speaker. Any relevant signage that would be imposed on the highways is based on the Traffic Act that we have to impose and put up traffic signs there, so whatever needed signage is there will be in place when the lights are put up.
I'm glad we got a commitment to put some lighting up there. Now I'm looking for a commitment to put some additional signage up there so that people coming down the highway are aware that there are pedestrians possibly crossing?
As I said, we'll have to look into the Highway Traffic Act and, whatever signage is required to have with a lighting system that crosses the public highway, we will install it.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So is the Minister content with inadequate signage at this point and the bare minimum signage at some point in the future as he's committed to installing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Friendly times. As I've said, I've committed to putting up a temporary lighting system there. We will look after any signage that is needed as per the Highway Traffic Act, and we will make sure that is in place as soon as possible.
Members, I would like to draw your attention to members in the public gallery. We have David Krutko, a former Member, former Speaker, former Minister. Welcome to our Assembly. Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the ways that junior kindergarten is different from the rest of the other grades in school is that busing needs to take into account the fact that some of those students are as young as three years, eight months. They're very little. So the school buses need to be equipped with seatbelts and they need to have additional staffing on them. That means the cost of busing children to attend junior kindergarten is going to go up. Will the Minister of Education pay for those extra costs? Thank you.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, those discussions are happening right now. We're working with the superintendents and the school boards to find out how we address some of those concerns that are being brought forward. We'll wait until we get the results out of that meeting and how things are going to be progressing, and we will give updates to the Members on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
It's my understanding that the school boards have asked the Minister to fund the busing of the junior kindergarten students. They anticipate that the cost could be up to $500,000 here in Yellowknife to accommodate those new 250 students who are going to be in school. Will the Minister pay for the extra costs of busing?
We did commit to fully funding junior kindergarten this fall. As I've mentioned, we also fund school boards throughout the Northwest Territories over $150 million, and they make the decisions on how those dollars are being allocated and spent as well.
Mr. Speaker, my question at this point is: if funding doesn't include inclusive schooling and busing and funding for Aboriginal activities, then what is the definition of fully funded?
We made the announcement that we're going to be funding the remainder of the communities in the House here. With inclusive schooling, we're still funding inclusive schooling above the legislated percentage that we do. Funding models haven't changed, and we are looking at a revised approach where we are clarifying rules, expectations, and processes with inclusive schooling; but we're still funding it above what we're legislated to do, and that hasn't changed at all.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what we're talking about here is making school systems sustainable, making them friendly to the use of children and to help them to be successful there, and that starts from the time they get picked up at the door to the time they come back again and everything that happens in between. So, once again, I am going to ask if the Minister will include the additional costs of JK as he does with all the other grades when he is having his famous meeting with the superintendents? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The $5.1 million to implement junior kindergarten to the rest of the communities is focused on the operations of junior kindergarten moving forward. We still haven't heard the results of what the decision or some of the discussions that have been going on, and also I've got to let the Member know that junior kindergarten is going to be optional for families. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to table the following document, it’s a letter to the Prime Minister of Canada from the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk and the Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 9, 2017, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Mr. Sheldon Toner of Yellowknife be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for reappointment as a member of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel effective immediately for a term of four years.
And further, that Ms. Emerald Murphy of Yellowknife be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for appointment as a member of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel effective immediately for a term of four years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Notices of Motion. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, February 9, 2017, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on February 9, 2017, it shall be adjourned until Tuesday, February 14, 2017.
And further, that any time prior to February 14, 2017, if the Speaker is satisfied after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact its business as it has been duly adjourned to that time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I now call the Committee of the Whole to order. What are the wishes of the Committee? Mr. Beaulieu?
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that we report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
---Carried
I will now rise to report progress.
Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report progress, and Mr. Speaker, I move that report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Do we have a seconder? The seconder is Member for Nunakput.
---Carried.
Mr. Speaker, there will be a meeting of the priorities and planning committee at adjournment today.
Orders of the day for Wednesday, February 8, 2017, 1:30 p.m.
Prayer
Ministers' Statements
Members' Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Replies to Commissioner's Opening Address
Replies to Budget Address (Day 6 of 7)
Petitions
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
Motions
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act
Tabled Document 261-18(2), Northwest Territories Main Estimates, 2017-2018
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
