Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, in my Member’s statement, I talked about anti-bullying legislation. It’s unfortunate that tragedies usually put a lens on subjects such as this. I think the public and also Members need to be reassured that we’re working towards good legislation.
My question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is: Maybe giving us an update, what’s happening in the department as we’re preparing for this anti-bullying legislation for the Northwest Territories?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since the motion was brought forward to this House, my department has been working on various other jurisdictions to identify, or do a complete review of the anti-bullying legislation in other jurisdictions, as well, and developing a safe school proposal, which will be developed, and implementation of a safe school plan as well. Those are the areas that my department has taken on the initiative.
There are two major projects or pieces of proposals that will be introduced in the spring session. In the spring 2013 session we want to introduce the bill and also, at the same time, develop a territorial-wide plan to denounce bullying in NWT schools. That is part of the plan as we move forward.
I think what the Minister indicated here is that it sounds like we’ve got legislation ongoing here and there’s talk about a safe school plan in a bill format. I guess the question I need to ask the Minister is: Why are we doing both at the same time? Should one not follow the other?
The legislation can set a clear definition on this particular anti-bullying legislation and mandate the need for policies and training. Also, ground involvement of effective resources is required to address the complex issue of generating safe schools in the NWT to meet the challenge of both legislation and comprehensive territorial-wide to prevent bullying in the NWT schools are needed. Both pieces are needed as we move forward on a comprehensive plan that we are currently working on. We are moving forward on those two initiatives.
The Minister indicated a safe schools plan. I guess the question we should ask is: When will this be implemented? Are we seeing this early on in 2013 or in the latter part of 2013?
Mr. Speaker, part of the plan is to introduce the safe schools plan completed and implemented at the beginning of the 2013 school year. That is the overall plan, so we are moving forward on that.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is all very good information, and I think many parents, many students out there are looking forward to seeing this come forward. As the department is preparing the final steps, the final journey, so to speak, and the consulting piece and where amendments are going to be taking place, who is going to be invited to the table to be doing this in the consulting phase, and will Members have an opportunity to be a participant?
There will be various consultations that will take place with the stakeholders, prior to putting forward the legislation to addressing the bullying. From December 2012 until January 2013, the consultation will take place, and they will consist of, of course, Regular Members, their input, and also those involved within the education field. The NWTTA, divisional education councils, district education authorities, superintendents, principals, teachers, the parents, and also those parents, students and Members of the Legislative Assembly, Corrections Division, Justice, RCMP. A variety of organizations will be part of the stakeholders that we’ll be consulting with.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
