Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Yes, thank you. Thank you, I know you got carried away. It is okay. But you being a parent, and I know you probably seen it all and, you know, us too as well in small communities.

I know that we all want our young people to do well in life. We want them to succeed in life. We want them to start working. We don't want them living on the system or, you know, like, income support to be dependent. We want them to be independent. That's what we all want for our young people because they are our future generations. And another one too is that SFA.

I know lately I've been hearing lots of parents...

Well, yeah -- well, that's a good information to know. And it's not just only with the Indigenous -- with Aurora College, but this could be done in partnership with the Indigenous government or organizations because the schools are doing their part, but we need more. And it's kind of disappointing that, you know -- that we had to get rid of that program. But it would be nice if we can build on other programs to promote the Indigenous language. It doesn't have to be in the regional centre but each region can do their own. But I think this is where the partnership is important with the...

Thank you. For the Indigenous language, to promote, that's good. I see here Indigenous language broadcasting. And it's -- it did went down from 2023-2024. Because I know that there's -- I mean, that's another way to encourage and support Indigenous language, to promote Indigenous language. Can the Minister explain why Indigenous language broadcasting went -- if there's a decrease in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Thank you.

No, even my colleague have been asking about that, you know, like, so I just -- is there a review happening of this program, income assistance? Because we do have an issue, especially in small communities, people are making a living out of it and, you know, it was supposed to be a temporary. Even my colleague from Mackenzie Delta have been asking that and with the productive choice. We need to do something for our young people because as soon as the young people who are unemployed, they go to income support the day that they turn 19, and it shouldn't be, you know, like, we should be providing...

Thank you. Yes, I would like to see that, you know, that data. That's it for this part, this section. Thank you.

Okay, well, the fuel subsidy program, the senior home heating subsidy program is very important for many of our constituents, especially in the small communities, so, yes, I would like to see that review. It would be good so that we can send the message back to our elders. And it's important for them because they're working, you know. Like, they're working, doing work, which is good, but because they need to -- they have to live, you know. They did their job of raising their family all these years, and now we're penalizing them, you know, because they're doing extra work just to stay alive...

Yeah, thank you. Yes, thank you for that information.

You know, in small communities with the high cost of living, there's a lot of elders that are -- you know, they're doing part-time jobs to offset their living just like I know there are some in here too as well, and then, you know, like, the higher North, it's more expensive. But lately I've been getting phone calls from a lot of our citizens, senior citizens, in my region, and the fuel delivery -- fuel subsidy for Wekweeti is $750. For other communities, it's lower. So I just wanted to ask if that $750, for example in Wekweeti, is that for...

Can the Minister explain what this --

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. I know that in many of the small communities, we have a lot of good support staff, we have a lot of good teachers, we have a lot of good schools. I don't want to discredit by saying that, you know, because our education is no good or, you know, like I heard that quite a few times, but we know that a lot of work is being done by the school staff. I've seen it myself by the support staff. They're making every effort for the student to succeed, to focus on the outcome. But there is a problem. There's one -- well, there's a lot of problems but, you know, one of...

Thank you. You did mention interpreter/translator or, you know -- we've been asking -- I've been asking too -- not just me, but there's a lot of people that have asked. Interpreter/translator program, it was offered through Aurora College at one time. It was a pilot project. And I know it was popular at that time. And I'm sure a lot of our interpreter/translator that are in here probably went through that program as well, you know. Interpreting is -- I mean, it is an important -- you know, it is important for -- to promote and save the Indigenous language even in a lot of our -- our...