Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. So as I understand it, it's still under discussion, then, with the Government of Alberta; is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Moses.
I'll go to my deputy minister for that one. Thank you
Thank you, Minister Moses. Deputy Minister Haener.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we do follow the Alberta curriculum and we work in partnership with Alberta to ensure that we have good, strong programming in schools. As the Minister mentioned, Alberta as well is looking at its instructional hours and has been engaging in change there in terms of the number of instructional hours that they have in many of their schools, so we're not alone in that area.
Rest assured we are not doing anything that would jeopardize the validity of a high school diploma here in the North and the link to that Alberta curriculum. There's no risk there at all. We continue to have the departmental exams as well that we utilize, and that is linked to Alberta. Officials continue to discuss many facets of our curriculum and instructional time and those types of things with Alberta on an ongoing basis Thank you
Thank you, Deputy Minister Haener. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I'll take the deputy minister at her word; I appreciate the response. They've got to find a way to get that kind of message out to MLAs; thankfully, you've done it today, but we've also got to get that out to the public. Thanks, Mr. Chair, that's all I've got.
Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a few things in regard to this communication challenge or issue. The Minister and the deputy minister talked about things they learned from getting the messaging out. Can the Minister or the deputy minister please give us an update on what they learned on how to get this communication out? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We're still working on some of the details, not only this but some other initiatives in terms of the way we communicate not only to the MLAs but to residents of the Northwest Territories. We're working with our communications staff as well as with the executive on how we give out the same message. So we're working on making our protocols more tight and making sure that we have precise and concise messaging to the public moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for his answer. Once they've come up with the process, is he willing to share with us, the Regular MLAs? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.
Can I confirm: does the Member want our communications protocol? Can the Member confirm? Thank you.
Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson, clarification or rephrase the question, please.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll try to clarify it, and I apologize to the Minister if I wasn't getting my message across. We just went through two things that have been brutal, the best way to describe it. It's been bad for your department, bad for everybody. So what I'm asking you is, you're working on developing the strategy to get the messaging out. Are you willing or able to share that strategy once it's all said and done, the policy or the direction that you're developing to get messaging out with us here? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. When it comes to communication, the strategy that we do develop, it's sometimes on a case-by-case basis depending on what's being discussed. We're also working on a protocol with all the board chairs to make sure that we do all work together in getting the right message across throughout the NWT to all the communities when we come up with discussions such as inclusive schooling or junior kindergarten, and that's what we're working on right now. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I understand that, communication, sometimes strategies have to be different for different things. However, if we're going to sell something or be able to promote and inform the people, we as ordinary MLAs should be part of the package. So if you're willing to work with us and get the messaging out, it makes things a little bit easier.
So that's why I'm asking for this, is so we can work together, the 19 of us, so when we're getting out the message, we can get the message to the prime stakeholders, who are the parents. So it doesn't hurt us getting the message out there. So again, I'm asking the Minister if he's willing to share with us or keep us in the loop or access us to get this messaging out. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. To be honest, it goes beyond the 19 of us in this House. We also have a lot of partners with the education authorities and the board chairs, and we don't always come to an agreement. When we're putting one message out there and we have other education authorities, it could be even other Members putting a different message out there, it's not putting out the best face in favour of us as a government. So obviously we've all got to work together and that messaging has to be a shared and common message moving forward, and, as I mentioned, it goes beyond the 19 of us. We have to have our board chairs involved as well as our superintendents who were making sure a common message, a common theme, shared with the parents and the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer. I understand it's more than the 19. The reason I'm asking this, and you talk about partnerships, in Fort Simpson last night they were talking about instructional hours. The messaging came across that this is a DEA responsibility. They're the one pushing this agenda. Then it becomes an issue of who is responsible for it. So the messaging is, as well as we tried to get it across, I understand the partnership, but we need to be able to get the message out there and need to be working together and the partners shouldn't be the ones holding the bag.
This is my problem. I'm sitting here, I've got a number of texts, a number of calls from my community saying the DEA is changing the instructional hours, and the Superintendent of the DDEC has done her job of trying to get the messaging across, and I'm trying to come across saying this is the information that we have, but again it comes down to the process. So if we're part of the process, we can help sell this message. So again, I'll ask the Minister: will he be willing work with us, or share with us, or update us, on how they're going to message these new initiatives? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and as I mentioned this is collective bargaining agreements, legal binding agreements. The DEAs do sign off on the schools' plans when they're developed, and we will share that information with the Members. We are working on finding a date to do a briefing with committee, and as I mentioned we could send out that technical package to all Members again. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chairperson, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I'm not worrying about the technical package. I understand the technical package. It's the messaging we're trying to get across, and I thank the Minister being willing to work with us and brief us as we move forward.
Do not get me wrong; I've seen the research, I've talked to the staff, I've talked to the teachers about the importance of this decision, whether it's collective bargaining. It could potentially, most likely will be, a very positive thing for our students, so I'm not worried about the negotiation part. I just want to get the messaging out, so that's why I've been asking that.
My last question is in regard to junior kindergarten. As I said in my brief summary, we had a miscommunication going out there from the department and the Minister. Can there be an explanation of why we had this huge discrepancy as we move forward implementing junior kindergarten? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Obviously there was mixed messaging going out from various parties, as well as the change in funding. At the beginning of this session, when we started, we had a funding model going through, but that had changed by the time we got started and had the budget addressed. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that clarification. At this point in time, I have no further questions. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Thompson. I see no further questions or comments from committee. Please turn to page 31, Education, Culture and Employment, corporate management, operations expenditure summary, total activity, $12,671,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Chair rise and report progress.
The motion is on the floor. The motion is in order and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed?
---Carried
Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the visitors from the Chamber.
Mr. Speaker, committee has been considering Tabled Document 26118(2), Northwest Territories Main Estimates 2017-2018, and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the Committee of the Whole be concurred with.
Do I have a seconder? Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
---Carried
Orders of the day for Monday, February 20, 2017, at 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
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
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Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act
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Bill 18, An Act to Amend the Health and Social Services Professions Act
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
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Bill 7, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act
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Bill 13, Marriage Act
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Committee Report 6-18(2), Report on the Review of Bill 7: An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act
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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
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Monday, February 20, 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 2:09 p.m.
