R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I've stated, it still is an open investigation. I do talk to the commanding officer from time to time and, you know, I do discuss this case with him from time to time. That being said, I'm not privy to the details of, you know, of the investigation. But if there's new information that comes to light, then the RCMP can use that and take further steps. So I reiterate the Member's comments: If you know something, please come forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And of course I can't make any assurances on behalf of the board of governors. They are arm's length from the Government of the Northwest Territories and from the Minister of ECE, but I don't think there's any concerns. I'm not at all concerned about the future of the ENRTP program. I think it's very well established and will continue to produce results for many years to come. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The start date, I believe it's early in the new year, was what the program wants to when they want to begin the program. If we wait until after the election it will delay that, and they will miss their I guess their first semester. And so there are some deadlines involved here. Things would have happened earlier had it not been for the evacuations unfortunately. But I see what the Member is saying. You know, we have an environmental studies program. This is another one. You know, there's nothing wrong with a little bit of competition, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Range Lake, that Bill 81, An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2, be read for a third time. And, Mr. Speaker, I request a recorded vote.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the employment assistance program provides funding to people to help meet their basic needs. So it is not a program to you know, to make people rich or anything like that. So I understand that for the amount of money that you get, it can seem like a lot of work to provide all of these documents. That is why at the beginning of this Assembly, I set out to change the program and overhaul the program. And we have done the work, and we are months away from launching the new income assistance program for seniors and persons with disabilities. Once that happens, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And as the Member mentioned earlier, the RCMP are in contact with the family. They would be the ones to provide that information to the family. I'm not sure how else to say it, Mr. Speaker. If there is no contact, if, you know, the RCMP aren't in contact with the family, they can't reach the RCMP, then I can provide some assistance. But as it is, it sounds like those lines of communication are open. And as I mentioned earlier, I do have regular discussions with the commanding officer, and this is one of the topics that does come up. So it's not like it's not not by a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I appreciate what the Member has said about using Frank's name. You know, when I met with his family, it's obvious that, you know, it's a very loving family that very much care for him. And this is, you know, this is tough to say the least. And I can't imagine what the family's going through. With that said, Mr. Speaker, as the Member knows I am not privy to RCMP investigations. But missing persons cases are they remain open, so it is still an open investigation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This program is being offered independently of the college, or it will be. And like the Member's said, the ENRTP is a worldrenowned program. Not just one of the jewels of Aurora College, I'd said it's one of the jewels of the Northwest Territories so I can't imagine that the program has anything to worry about. The program that is out for public input right now and I encourage everyone, including the Member, to provide that input is focused on, you know, really the Yellowknives Dene and it was developed in concert with them. It focuses on Dene ways of knowing, doing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And so just to be clear, the program is not being offered at the college. It has nothing to do with Aurora College. This is a program that is a partnership between Trent University and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. So I would assume that it was the Yellowknives Dene who really initiated this. I know they're working very closely together. And I expect, or I understand that at least the first intake would likely all be Yellowknives Dene members. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I'm here today to present Bill 81, An Act to Amend the Education Act, No. 2.

Bill 81 represents the first phase of amendments that make operational and technical improvements necessary to improve the education system. A second phase will continue beyond the 19th Assembly to allow for more indepth discussions with Indigenous governments, education bodies and the public on the future of education governance in the Northwest Territories.

This bill seeks to amend the Education Act to recognize the vital role Indigenous peoples and Indigenous governments have in education...