Debates of May 31, 2005 (day 5)

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it has again to do with the transfer of the TTC. Madam Speaker, as I have already repeated many times today, the sense I am getting from the people out there, especially the professionals who have been involved in delivering services and addressing the needs of the children who are being treated in this facility, I think that the people will be appalled that the people who do this have never been consulted. In fact, I just learned today that the most senior education official in Yellowknife asked one of the senior officials in the department, not to long ago, whether they knew anything about this. They said no.

I would like to know whether or not the department has talked to administrators of education in Hay River as to the capacity and what more they would need in order to deliver these programs. Has the Minister looked into that? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, no, the department, as I said earlier today, wasn't consulted on the proposal. I have every confidence that the education system in any of our communities can handle the support that is required. The department provides funding for a teacher at the facility and the expectation is that the youngsters will reintegrate back into the school system. We are comfortable that as the process works itself through, that the young people in the facility will be prepared to participate in a regular school. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Without having asked any of those questions or gotten information on that or not having had these senior officials talking to those people who are involved in education, how could the Minister have any kind of confidence or any kind of expectation? When was he going to communicate this confidence in education to those who are going to be responsible for taking care of these children? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Minister Dent.

Further Return To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have tremendous confidence in the people who administer and deliver the education program in the Northwest Territories and I spoke about that earlier today in the successes that we’ve seen in education. We have a tremendous cadre of professional people who are well qualified to deliver the programs that are offered in education across the Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That very mundane, feel good, general statement that the Minister is making is showing just more clearly than ever before how little he knows about the needs of these youth in the centre. These are not people who can benefit from the mainstream programming that we have. They are in need of very, very specialized services, which if the Minister would take time talking to them would tell him that it is in jeopardy of being dismantled. So would the Minister direct his senior officials to talk to the educators and those who provide services to these people, talk to the real people on the ground and find out exactly what they do provide and then find out from Hay River what they have there? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Minister Dent.

Further Return To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Madam Speaker, the Member has presented herself as an expert as to whether or not the people in Yellowknife are more expert themselves than the people in the other communities. I don’t accept that. I would say that we have people with the same qualifications available to us across the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Minister Dent. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Going by the very defensive answer of the Minister, I know I have the Cabinet cornered and they do not have answers.

Oooh.

They do not have the answers that the people are entitled to know. Now let me ask the Minister…Now I just forgot a very good question that I had for the Minister. I was just too excited about having you cornered. Madam Speaker, would the Minister of Education please direct his senior officials to find out this information as soon as possible and present exactly what the educational needs are? Because I’m telling you the Minister will find that there are a lot of special needs that he’s not aware of. Thank you.

Thank you for the question and the answer, Ms. Lee. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 64-15(4): Educational Needs Of The Territorial Treatment Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don’t know if it’s because we’re in a round building, but I haven’t felt cornered by the Member in her questions.

Oooh.

I was offended that the Member would make the statements she was making, categorizing some of the people in other communities as not being as capable.

Hey, hey.

That is not right. I have said in this House that I am satisfied that the programs can be delivered adequately in the Northwest Territories in communities other than Yellowknife. We are not the only community that has experts. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause