Masi. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that, on Thursday, March 7, 2019, I will move that Bill 43, An Act to Amend the Income Tax Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
MR. SPEAKER: Masi. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters: Bill 31, Northwest Territories 911 Act; Committee Report 12-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2018 Report of the Auditor General of Canada on Northwest Territories Child and Family Services; Committee Report 13-18(3), Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of Bill 31: Northwest Territories 911 Act; Minister's Statement 131-18(3), Sessional Statement 44; Minister's Statement 151-18(3), New Federal Infrastructure Agreement; Minister's Statement 158-18(3), Developments in Early Childhood Programs and Services; and Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020 with Member for Hay River North in the chair. By the authority given to me as Speaker by Motion 7-18(3), I hereby authorize that the House will sit beyond the daily hour of adjournment to consider the business before the House.
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
I will now call Committee of the Whole to order. What is the wish of committee? Mr. Testart.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee would like to consider Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates 2019-2020, with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment as the item under consideration. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Mr. Testart. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you committee. We will consider the document. First, a brief recess.
---SHORT RECESS
Welcome back, committee. We have agreed to consider Tabled Document 322-18(3), Main Estimates, 2019-2020, with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, which begins on page 25 of the document. There are five activities, with information items at the back. To begin, we will turn to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for opening statements. Minister Cochrane.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am pleased to present the 2019-2020 Main Estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Overall, the department's estimates propose an increase of $9.8 million or three percent over the 2018-2019 Main Estimates.
Improving education outcomes and student success requires ongoing support from early childhood through to post-secondary education and training. Our 2019-2020 Main Estimates reflect this approach.
The 2019-2020 estimates includes funding of $2.4 million to support initiatives, including the expansion of the Northern Distance Learning program to four additional small communities; the development of the Northern Studies curriculum for grades 11 and 12; and the implementation of a Territorial Support Team to assist students with complex needs. On the social programs side, this funding also includes an increase to rates for disabled and elderly clients on income support.
Another highlight of the proposed estimates is forced growth funding of $2.8 million, including an increase of $1.7 million to address increased demand on income security programs. Other forced growth increases will respond to the recommendations associated with a review of the Student Transportation Policy and provide for maintenance and security requirements for the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.
The estimates also reflect $4.2 million for other funding adjustments, such as the Canada-NWT Workforce Development Agreement and the GNWT-NWT Teachers' Association collective agreement.
The department continues to work to meet the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories. I would like to draw attention to some key initiatives for 2019-2020:
Further implementation of the new junior kindergarten to grade 12 Indigenous Languages and Education Policy and its renewed funding and accountability structure;
Launch of the second year of a pilot of the new Our Languages curriculum for Indigenous languages;
Introduction of an Early Learning Framework for Children that reflects the cultures of the NWT, to be used in early childhood programs; and
Continued work on the government's response to the Aurora College Foundational Review.
These are a few highlights for the 2019-2020 fiscal year. I look forward to working with Members to advance our priorities and the mandate actions related to Education, Culture and Employment. That concludes my opening remarks. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister. I understand you have witnesses you wish to bring in the Chamber. Sergeant-at-Arms, please escort the witnesses into the Chamber, and Minister, you may take your seat at the witness table. Minister, please introduce your witnesses for the record.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. On my right is Ms. Sylvia Haener, who is the deputy minister of Education, Culture and Employment. On my left is Laura Gareau. She is the assistant deputy minister for Corporate Services. Their role here today is to help me and make sure I don't get into any hot sauce while I am here.
Good luck with that, Minister. The department totals can be found on page 29, but as usual, we will defer consideration of the totals until we look at each activity. The first activity is corporate management and is found on page 32 and runs to 34. Do we have comments or questions on this activity? Corporate management. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like to ask the Minister: is this the correct page or activity on which to ask questions about the new position of associate deputy minister for post-secondary education?
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is in this area, the directorate. She can ask questions at this time; it is just not reflected at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I would like the Minister to remind us how it is possible to hire this ADM with no increase in the budget for compensation and salaries. Well, excuse me, there is a $3,000 increase in the budget. How is it possible to hire this ADM with only a $3,000 increase in the compensation and benefits segment of this budget? Thank you.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The way it is possible to do that is because, when the previous president actually stepped down from the position, we used an acting position from the VP of student services. Of course, then, that position does not get two full salaries, so there were some savings there. As well, we haven't taken any of the funding away for the social work or education programs, so there is extra money in the college at this point. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Ms. Green.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. If the money was taken from other activities to fund the position in this area, why isn't it reflected in the budget? Thank you.
Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The position was actually hired after the business plans and these mains were drawn up, so it is a timing issue, but there is money in the current budget to actually allow for that salary to be implemented. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Ms. Green.
Thank you. I find that answer surprising because the advertising for the position went out in September, and I think the revised version of the mains that we received was in January. I am wondering if the Minister is planning to reveal the true cost of this position and any associated positions, such as an assistant, in the next budget. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. If it is all right with committee, we can get that information to you, a breakdown of how that works, and provide it to standing committee ASAP. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Ms. Green.
Thank you. I appreciate the Minister's commitment to tell us what the total cost is of this ADM position and any related positions, such as an assistant, but my primary request is that the next mains include this position in this activity area so that the cost of administration is contained in one activity area, rather than being borrowed from other areas. Thank you.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I have asked the department, and yes, the commitment from the department is that it will be included in the next mains. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Nothing further from Ms. Green. Next, Mr. Thompson.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to the distance learning program, previously the Minister was talking about an expansion there. How much money is it going to cost us to expand to these additional four communities? Thank you.
Thank you. Perhaps the Minister could advise whether this would be better dealt with in a different activity. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is actually later, but we can answer it if the Chair is all right with that. The actual amount that is in the budget for the expansion of the Northern Distance Learning Program is $432,000. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Mr. Thompson.
I apologize. I was looking at it through the evaluation part of it. Is this the area where we talk about the SCIP and the evaluation of that? Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Maybe we can clear this up. Would these be better left to early childhood and school services? Is that the correct area, Minister Cochrane?
Mr. Chair, that is correct.
Thank you. Mr. Thompson, do you have other questions related to this first activity?
I'll go on to this one here. In regard to the teaching certificate and learning management, is this the area that we talk about it for this one?
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is also in education later on. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Nothing further from Mr. Thompson on this activity. I just request, before Members speak, to make sure that the light indicating that the microphone is working is on. Anything further to corporate management? Seeing none, I will call the activity. Corporate management, operations expenditures summary, total activity, $9,787,000. Does committee agree?
Agreed.
Thank you, committee. Please turn to activity 2, culture, heritage and languages. This activity begins on page 35 and continues to page 38. Mr. O'Reilly.
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I see from the business plan that is posted on the Department of Finance website that there are sunsets of two term devolution archivist positions over at the museum, presumably, or the archives. Can someone explain to me what is going on here? Thanks.
Thank you. Minister.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is actually found on page 36, and it is part of the culture and heritage monies. What happened was the funding for two devolution archivists was sunsetted, and so, after that happened, we actually asked for the money back. They gave us indeterminate funding for that, so it is an in and out. We have it as a debit for that column one and then, actually, a credit at the same time, so it doesn't really show. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
