Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I spoke in my Member's statement about the agreement that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has with the federal government to create 300 spaces by 2026. So last year I think we had 76. My questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and can she speak to -- it seems that the -- we're a little off track. Can the department provide further information on how they plan to meet those targets of 300 spaces. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity today to address some concerns around the budget, Mr. Speaker. It's maybe a little more of an elongated Member's statement but certainly, it certainly ties in closely to the items that we're reviewing in the budget this session.

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt we find ourselves in some challenging times. The current budget, I think, and I feel, doesn't offer a lot in the way of reduction, nor does it move us away from basically a status quo budget, Mr. Speaker. The supplemental appropriations we passed in the House to offset the...

Thank you. No, and I appreciate that. I think the information that was relayed to myself and certainly the information that we read in the media certainly said that the programs were going to be shut down. If, indeed, the college is looking at either working through NGOs, working with Indigenous governments to continue that program as it exists but maybe through different bodies, I'd certainly be interested in hearing that. But I guess, then, Madam Chair, then if the -- you know, if that's the case, if they are not indeed committed to shutting it down, and I would have hoped that, you know...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I just have a couple questions, one on the Aurora College programs and services.

Obviously, as you read through this document, you can see they, you know, highlight the 21 community learning centres. It speaks about the college providing community-based adult literacy and adult-based education programs. So given the recent announcement by the board of directors for Aurora College that they'll no longer be supporting the adult learning centres, I'm wondering if the Minister now has a plan on how that -- the department will be taking on that mandated item to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Minister for that. And, yes, I'm aware of the battery system that's currently in place. I understand we're looking to get quite a larger one in there. And I'll have -- I'll save the -- my wind questions for another time. But there's also I'm aware of, I believe, two biomass applications in for Inuvik as well to look at possibly putting the -- a couple of municipal buildings on biomass as well. Is the -- has the Minister been informed of this and, I guess, is the department aware of that project as well and how that, again, will affect power consumption...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my address to the budget today, I mentioned the $5.5 million solar ray that the town of Inuvik are currently installing. Good for the town of Inuvik, as I had said, but I wondercan the Minister responsible for the NWT power corp give an update on how that system or what has been done to integrate that system into the current grid and what effects that may have on the power grid in Inuvik. Thank you.

Thank you to the Minister for that. And it's good to hear that she's -- the department or the Minister's at least considering that may, indeed, be an option. Certainly, you know, part of the funding is for bricks and mortar and bricks and mortar cost money to maintain, so certainly part of that budget, I assume would be included for bricks and mortar. And I as well look forward to the update from the college to the justification as to why they made this move and to kind of shed some light because it certainly, Madam Chair, has caused a lot of concern, certainly not only through my riding...

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, and I appreciate that, but I think the college made it fairly clear that their mandate does not to support that, that they are going to shut down, indeed, the adult literacy and basic education programs. So I guess further than waiting for the college to say, yes, we are going to do it, because they basically said they were, is this something that the department, the Minister's going to commit to ensuring that if that's the case that we do continue to use these learning centres and keep them open? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 274-20(1), 2025-2026 Main Estimates, Education, Culture and Employment; and, time permitting, Housing Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for that. So is it anticipated, then, obviously pulling that revenue away from the power corp in Inuvik, run our own grid up there obviously, the thousand kilowatt hours that could potentially be put back in the grid, is that going to offset the loss, I guess, of the revenue stream that the town of Inuvik rec complex would normally provide? Thank you.