Debates of October 17, 2006 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to come back to my earlier statement addressing the impact of funding cuts to literacy in the NWT. Mr. Speaker, investing in adult literacy is a key component to ensuring a healthy Canadian society and economy. So where opportunity is at its best for people in the Northwest Territories, cutting back on literacy programs is the worst idea possible. So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t agree with these cuts and I call them non-acceptable. So my question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is, what exactly is he doing to stop these cuts? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have worked with my colleagues in the Council of Ministers of Education Canada to ensure that we are able to meet with Minister Finley from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada to let her know personally of our disappointment with the approach. That meeting is, by the way, set up for next Tuesday. I have written to Minister Finley as well to outline our concerns for the impacts on the Northwest Territories that we will see from these cuts and to request from her their plan, the federal government’s plan, to reinvest in literacy so that we can better understand and assure residents of the Northwest Territories what sort of response we’re going to see to improve literacy here in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because these, in my opinion, I’ll say it that way, I see these cuts more like a butcher filling in for a surgeon, Mr. Speaker. I see them just being chop, chop, chop and where they fall they fall, Mr. Speaker. So what is this Minister doing to ensure that the speciality, localized programs are going to be restored, because that’s where they really truly will have their effect? So what is the Minister going to do on a territorial level to ensure that the haemorrhaging of things like the NWT Literacy Council will not continue? Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have met with the NWT Literacy Council. Our government continues to support and to fund the NWT Literacy Council and I have assured them that we will continue to look for ways to work with them to ensure that we can help them to provide literacy services across the Northwest Territories. I think it’s important to remember that the Government of the Northwest Territories also invests heavily in literacy in the North. We provide $2.4 million annually to the NWT Literacy Strategy and Aurora College receives more than $4.1 million annually to support adult literacy and basic education. So, Mr. Speaker, I’m hoping to see the federal government reinvest in literacy programs, particularly literacy programs aimed at the aboriginal population. I am hoping that they will recognize that they have an important role to play in the Northwest Territories in that area.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know the Department of Education, Culture and Employment offers literacy programs to seniors, persons with disabilities, in our corrections centres and our workplace. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to be sure today in this House that are these programs going to be protected under these potential cuts or these cuts that already have been made by the Conservative government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Northwest Territories our government has no intention of cutting back what’s there. So programs that are entirely funded by the Government of the Northwest Territories will definitely continue. The college is going to have some programs that they had hoped to expand this year that they’re not going to be able to expand, but we will take a look at what we can do in the future budget to strengthen our literacy program in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’ve made it amply clear here today that I believe literacy is key to a person’s success, both economically, socially, it goes a long way. So, Mr. Speaker, I’d like to know today, the Minister is clear to me when he said he spoke to the NWT Literacy Council to ensure that we can be there to help. So I want to find out what the Minister has in his back pocket as a plan if the federal government does not reinstate these unnecessary, ridiculous cuts. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 103-15(5): Federal Reductions To Literacy Program Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to make it clear that we were not consulted about these cuts. The federal government chose to make and announce these cuts arbitrarily. So we’re not in a position where I can reach into my back pocket today and replace the money that has been lost. I do want to make the point, though, that this government is already putting, and continues to put, significantly more money into literacy than what the federal government has cut. I intend to keep working with the federal Minister, Diane Finley, and I will be encouraging her to ensure that the federal government finds some way to reinvest in literacy programming in the Northwest Territories, in particular in light of the federal responsibility for improving literacy programming for aboriginal people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.