Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, Skills NWT and Skills Canada are still very much a thing in the Northwest Territories. Just this past week, students from the Northwest Territories just returned from the national competition. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, can the Member clarify if they're speaking in regards to the wage grid regulations?

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department did put out a call to education bodies as a whole to ask them, you know, what would work, do you foresee a possibility to offer up some dollars from your budgets. And without any surprise, of course, the answer was no, which we a hundred percent respected because, like many members have said, you know, our foundation to our economic foundation begins with educating our youth. And so we absolutely respected that. But what the education bodies did offer up were some suggestions of where to create some savings within the department...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the $52,000 that the Member referred to reduced a line item from $150,000 to $98,000, and that is a return of traditionally unsubscribed funding under the Indigenous languages broadcasting grant. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I think what we've established today, by going all around the room, is that the need exists everywhere. This is not a channel that is shared only with Northwest Territories communities; it's also a challenge that's shared clear across the country. And so that's what this group is coming together to do with engagement, is to figure out, okay, how are we going to do this how are we going to see these dollars flow out the door. And the reality is as well not everybody is going to have shovelready projects available right away. So there is going to have...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. The department has asked for, in this budget, what they feel they will need. And also I hope that with the increased ability for residents to keep some of their earned income and work with client navigators as well as career development officers that hopefully we will be able to support residents to create pathways to employment, entrepreneurship, as well as education by combining our business plans with the dollars that we do have available. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Member might be happy to know I just did meet yesterday with the CEO of Tlicho Investment Corporation. So we have a very close working relationship and are able to work in partnership with one another to find out ways that we can support one another's goals, and we definitely have some shared ones.

In addition to comments around scholarships and such, ECE definitely does support the education funding requirements for students that are entering into trades. Just like we  through a different funding pot but similar to how we support students who...

Yes, please.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, no. I'm looking at the actuals from 20222023 of $139 million to the main estimates of 20242025 which are $136 million $136.6 million. So not a 25 percent reduction in attendance. I'm talking about that particular line item. If the Member would like me to give her information on additional line items, I'd be happy.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. And I'm very happy to have gotten this question on the floor because I think it's an important conversation.

I absolutely do not subscribe to the notion that artists must be starving artists. I never have subscribed to that and believe wholeheartedly that regardless of whether or not it is an elder participating in a cultural day at a school or it is somebody delivering a community performance or it is somebody who is, you know, sewing mitts, all form of arts and crafts and performances and film and writing all have value. Whether or not somebody is actually...