Thank you, Mr. Speaker. An environment that will sustain present and future generations is one of the goals of this Legislative Assembly and how we manage caribou is a major part of achieving that goal. Actions taken by the Government of the Northwest Territories to deal with declining populations of barren-ground caribou herds have improved our environmental planning, protection monitoring and water management activities as envisioned in the Northerners Working Together plan.
The guiding document for our caribou stewardship actions was a 2006-2010 Barren-Ground Caribou Management Strategy. This strategy resulted in the increased investment by our government and our partners to work together on the necessary actions needed to help stabilize declining herds and intensify the collection of information required to make wise management decisions.
These management actions, successfully implemented with our co-management partners and Aboriginal governments, have helped stabilized three previously declining herds -- the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West and Bluenose-East herds -- and slowed the decline of the Bathurst herd.
During the past five years we have strengthened relationships with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups using barren-ground caribou and enhanced the research and monitoring efforts necessary to manage these herds.
I want to recognize the individual harvesters and Aboriginal governments who have shown
leadership and taken actions to help caribou recover. This has not been without costs.
However, as barren-ground caribou herds remain at low numbers, we must remain vigilant in our efforts to ensure barren-ground caribou remain a plentiful resource.
Later today I will table the next five-year management strategy for the barren-ground caribou. This draft new strategy builds on the 2006-2010 strategy and previous management planning initiatives recommended by co-management boards, Aboriginal governments, caribou management boards and NWT communities. It does not replace herd-specific management planning. It provides a unified framework for those plans.
Strategies have been identified for the following five key components: engaging partners in the management of barren-ground herds, ensuring information is available for sound herd management, managing impacts of key factors on caribou herds, public education and compliance, and maximizing benefits.
Implementation of this new strategy will require significant new investment. Key actions include developing and completing management plans for all herds and building capacity for involvement in conservation actions. It will require resources from partners who share responsibility for managing barren-ground caribou herds. These partners include Aboriginal governments, co-management boards, caribou management boards, the governments of Canada and neighbouring jurisdictions.
Mr. Speaker, there has been tremendous commitment by many people to stop the decline of caribou. We need that commitment during the next five years to support the recovery of all herds to levels that benefit all residents. Advice and direction from co-management partners and Aboriginal governments are critical in defining specific actions needed for each herd.
We have made progress in conserving our barren-ground caribou herds during the past five years and continue to invest in improved environmental stewardship through the Managing This Land strategic initiative, which has funded work on the draft strategy and improved caribou monitoring.
Our success over the next five years rests with all residents. I encourage everyone to review this draft new five-year strategy and provide their comments and feedback on the actions proposed in it. By continuing to work cooperatively to manage these herds, we can ensure our caribou populations remain plentiful to benefit current and future generations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the title of our strategic plan is Northerners Working Together. This reminds us of an important point, that it requires the effort of all Northerners to help us achieve success on the goals of this Assembly. In acknowledgement of the contributions our residents make towards our goal of healthy, educated people, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is now accepting nominations for inductions into the Education Hall of Fame this year. This is a great opportunity to give recognition to Northerners dedicated to education in the Northwest Territories. This includes anyone who supports education, from teachers to coaches, custodians, volunteers and community businesses and also sponsors.
This is the second year the Education Hall of Fame has been in place and the recipient format has changed slightly. The new format sees one inductee from each region in the Territory and a Minister’s Choice nomination. This year there will be a total of seven inductees, Mr. Speaker.
Accepting one inductee per region respects regional contributions and is more inclusive. It also gives local leaders and organizations the opportunity to become more involved in the education of their community, as we have heard through our Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative that they would like to be.
The department is accepting nominations up to Thursday, March 31, 2011. Electronic nomination forms are available on the department’s website and at regional Education, Culture and Employment service centres and district education council offices. I hope Members will take the opportunity to nominate a deserving person from their region and encourage others to do the same as well.
Mr. Speaker, successful nominees will be announced in April and will be invited to a ceremony and luncheon scheduled for Tuesday, May 17th, at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. Inductees will receive a plaque commemorating their achievement and a gift certificate from our sponsor First Air, who we thank for this continued participation.
I look forward to announcing this year’s inductees to the Education Hall of Fame and recognizing their contributions to education in the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the support of Education, Culture and Employment and other government agencies, Route 51 Learning Institute has become a successful source for alternative education for Yellowknife students since its opening in November 2009.
The objective of Route 51 is to provide academic improvement in achievement to non-traditional learners and prepare non-academic students with skills to enter the workplace. In the beginning, due to the late start in the year, YK No. 1 was hoping to register 40 students. However, Route 51 served a total of 112 students by the end of June 2010. For the 2010-11 school year, YK No. 1 was hoping to accommodate 75 students. Currently, there are approximately 125 students registered.
The school has seen many successes. One of the anticipated outcomes of the program is for students to find success at Route 51 and be able to transition back into Ecole Sir John Franklin High School. Route 51 prides itself in offering students with alternatives to learning that can’t be found anywhere else: flexible schedules, which allow students to fulfill other obligations and activities; flexible timetabling to allow Ecole Sir John High students to take courses at Route 51 which they can’t fit into the schedule at high school. There is a close liaison between Ecole Sir John Franklin High School and Route 51, who offer support for student learning. A nutritious conscious environment and healthy homemade snacks made by two staff members, Joyce Whiteford and Kirstin Prescott, fits with YK No. 1’s strategic goal of living healthy lifestyles.
Route 51 is exploring a number of opportunities for students in the near future. These include ways to expand electronic workspaces to meet growing demand of students, building a partnership with Breakaway Fitness to offer students opportunities to receive credit for physical education which fits in with YK No. 1’s strategic goal of living healthy lifestyles, and exploring opportunities for CTS modules and trades and apprenticeship programs. The students and staff at Route 51 along with YK No. 1, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the larger community have all contributed to creating a place of learning that is serving our young people well.
Mr. Speaker, I and some of my colleagues visited Route 51 last week. It is clear to us the pride that the staff and students take in Route 51 and the opportunities and good work it is providing. I encourage all students looking for alternative education support to visit Route 51 to find out how they can help. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Elders have a huge role to play in our education systems of today. They remind youth what wisdom is and what real education means. Their presence in schools, though too rare, brings stability and assurance to our young people that are currently wanting. Let’s work to ensure that our elders are able to fulfill their key role in every one of our educational facilities.
Today I especially want to salute the woman who is the traditional heart and soul of K’alemi Dene School in Ndilo, Mary Jane Francois, who the children call Mrs. Fwasi.
---Applause
Mrs. Fwasi is the school elder. On joining the K’alemi Dene family 10 years ago, Mrs. Fwasi introduced herself and her Weledeh dialect, and the children heard “Francois” as “Fwasi.” Teachers thought this was a pretty good example of how people learn language and the name stuck. Mrs. Fwasi likes it because it has such a nice rhyme with mahsi.
Mrs. Fwasi instructs the children in the Weledeh dialect and advises teachers on words and expressions as they relate to the daily lessons. Students learn the Yellowknives Dene First Nations history, its landmarks, traditions and culture at Mrs. Fwasi’s knee. Mrs. Fwasi’s lessons come from her stories and memories and straight from the heart. Visit K’alemi Dene and you are instantly greeted by the beauty and accomplishment of Mrs. Fwasi’s presence. Her newly completed full moosehide beadwork tapestry is on proud display in the new school’s foyer and was an experience of creation shared by all the students.
Mrs. Fwasi is now working on a huge baby blanket with traditional beadwork on white stroud. This masterpiece will be displayed above the school’s vision and mission statements.
Mary Jane Fwasi will celebrate her 70th birthday June 1st. Teachers and students are planning a huge celebration to thank their spiritual grandmother of all these years. In the words of K’alemi Dene principal Angela James, “we love our Mrs. Fwasi and are blessed to have her sharing her language, traditions and culture with the students and staff of K’alemi Dene School.”
Mr. Speaker and all colleagues, please join me in saying, Mrs. Fwasi, mahsi.
Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak on a very important topic and the overall well-being of society of First Nations people in the NWT, Mr. Speaker, the rate of absenteeism in our schools in the small communities. Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious problem and the responsibility must be shared. The high rate of absenteeism is the responsibility of the local district education authority and the district education councils, the teachers, the parents and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, if our children do not attend school regularly, they are being deprived of an education that is so important for their future and the future of the NWT. We need educated people to take over the running of First Nation communities, regions and this Territory. Without this education, we will rely on others to come into the communities and tell us what to do.
Mr. Speaker, it is a fact that if a student misses five days a month, by the time they are in grade 8 they are two years behind and not ready for high school, let alone be successful in high school. Mr. Speaker, if our students are not ready for high school when they get to high school age, there is no way they will be ready for post-secondary education when they get to post-secondary education age.
Mr. Speaker, if the First Nations want to control their lives, they must ensure that their children are in school every day. Mr. Speaker, if the First Nations children attend school over 90 percent of the time, their marks are comparable to non-Aboriginal children in the school system.
We need a plan to address this issue. We need the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to work with the education authorities, educational councils and they will, in turn, work with the teachers, the children and the parents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This is Education Week and I hear that Education, Culture and Employment is challenging residents to take part in the Thumbs Up contest to identify ways people can support the education system. Well, I have thumbs up for two Fort Simpson men who are doing a great job encouraging our students to think about their future. I am speaking about Bob Norwegian and Wilbert Antoine who are excellent role models. These two cousins have 75 years of trades experience. They left the North and made careers and now they have returned to Fort Simpson and want to make a difference and help our Aboriginal youth. They spend their spare time in the bush and maintain traditional values. It doesn’t seem like youth are hearing much about careers in oil and gas and mining industries. Who better to get students to listen to what opportunities are available than Bob Norwegian and Wilbert Antoine, who can show how the industries have affected their lives in a positive way.
They tell students about the thousands of types of jobs that are out there: employment as electricians, engineers, geologists, machinists, environmental technicians, management and many others.
A recent article in the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers publication highlighted what a good role model these men are. Bob Norwegian has been an electrician and instrumentation technician in the oil and gas industry working on gas plants, oil pipelines, jet turbines and he has designed and built microprocessors. He now operates Rabbit Skin Ventures with his wife in Fort Simpson. Wilbert Antoine has worked in coal mining and diamond mining and is presently the northern development officer for Canadian Zinc.
Both men are committed to helping kids understand how important education is and how preparing for a good job just doesn’t happen overnight. Tomorrow they will meet with Aurora College students in Fort Simpson to continue their great work and I wish them well.
They have told me that our grandfathers took every effort to do things on their own. They want to show the youth today, with their stories, that this is still true. When you have a dream, you can follow it.
Thumbs up to Wilbert Antoine and Bob Norwegian for their enthusiasm in encouraging our students to think about the long term and the future they can create for themselves. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to speak on Education Week, and more importantly, dealing with the education curriculum that we offer to our students in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important that we develop a curriculum that’s meaningful to our students’ education and gives them an opportunity to learn the bright history, and more importantly, the knowledge that has been held here for thousands of years from their ancestors, regardless if its treaty rights, land claim rights, or even preservation of our language and culture.
Mr. Speaker, the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Board of Education along with its partners, the Inuvialuit and the Gwich’in, have developed language curriculum which is now presently in place in the Beaufort-Delta. It provides an opportunity for Aboriginal students in the Beaufort/Mackenzie Delta to learn the language curriculum in the classroom developed by the communities that they come from, and more importantly, by the cultural groups in the region.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important not only to educate our students but educate ourselves as Northerners, to understand the amazing history of the Northwest Territories and understand the area of Aboriginal rights, treaty rights, old treaties, modern day treaties, but more importantly, what does it mean by way of wildlife acts, the history of the trapping industry in the Northwest Territories and looking at the overall revolution of how we’ve evolved over the last 150 years from simply having trading posts to now large communities to urban centres and large rural communities that exist. In some cases in the history of the North, some of these communities that exist today well exceed 150 years. That’s an important part of our history that we have to not only preserve and protect, but pass on to our younger generation and develop that curriculum in our schools in the Northwest Territories so that our students can also understand the history of the North and where we come from and where we’re going.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to use my Member’s statement to acknowledge the passing of Jack Adderley in December. Jack was 86 and had lived in Yellowknife for 52 years. He was well known for many things, especially his humour. One of the lasting efforts that Jack left our community was the 1972 partnership with Jack Sigvaldson, commonly known as Sig, when the two of them launched their own newspaper, a local rag called the Yellowknifer. I’m sure many of you may have heard of it before.
The first cutting-edge newspaper was designed on the desk of a kitchen table and the dark room was Sig’s bathroom. The NWT government at the time didn’t think that their enterprise was worth financing. Times changed and moved past, and nearly 39 years later that has evolved into the Northern News Services, which has published seven different community papers. With the characteristic candour and style that Jack had been known for, he reported government oversight and hard criticism and accountability on Yellowknifer’s anniversary every year.
Before arriving in Yellowknife, Jack had served in the Royal Canadian Navy in World War II and in Korea. He was a signalman and he brought those skills here to the North by providing Morse Code, which at that time was one of the only ways to communicate out of the North.
By 1959 he moved to Yellowknife and worked at the Yellowknife Airport. Jack’s voice was also heard and entertained many Yellowknifers over the years from his commentary when he announced and covered the hockey games and in the summer when he covered the ball games at Tommy Forest Park. Eventually he even had his own radio show on CBC Sports called the Jack Adderley Sports Reel. George Tuccaro, our esteemed Commissioner, has credited Jack for helping him on his way to become a successful broadcaster.
Jack Adderley had been involved with many, many community events and he certainly was a player in the activity of our city. He was active in the Royal Canadian Legion and was often the parade marshal on Remembrance Day. He and his wife also helped establish, with their work, the Abe Miller Centre. Both Jack and his wife, Mary, spent their final years at Aven Manor, where Mary died two years before him.
While Jack was a resident at Aven, I had many occasions to stop and hear many interesting stories from him. My favourite was when he would talk about the stories of how he and Sig would settle their editorial disputes and, certainly, creative arguments at the paper, which was simply flipping a match and deciding who won over that.
In closing, my condolences go to the Adderley family. Jack will certainly be missed by many people. I certainly will make note that the Aven Manor has never been the same without him. I miss his stories and his laughter.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to lend my voice today -- what’s left of it -- to celebrating Education Week. Last week Mr. Lafferty called on all NWT residents to help in promoting education this week. I’m very happy to help him do that.
The Minister also stated that learning is a lifelong journey and I couldn’t agree with the Minister more. I’m proud to say that I’m a product of the local school system here in Yellowknife and I’m very grateful for the teachers and the facilities that I had along the way. Now that I have a son that’s at Montessori at N.J. Macpherson, the cycle continues, only this time as a parent.
Schools are the very foundation of the community. I’m very fortunate to have two great schools located in the riding of Kam Lake: Ecole St. Joseph School and N.J. Macpherson. I want to thank all the teachers, administration and support staff at those two schools for all they do for our children and our community.
My vision for the future of educational needs and facilities in this community involves a stand-alone college campus for Aurora College. Ultimately I do believe a university can and should be established somewhere in the North. Currently Canada is the only circumpolar nation without a university located north of the 60th parallel. It’s time to set the course for a stand-alone campus for our college, which is long overdue.
In the foreseeable future, capital dollars are going to be hard to come by. That is why the planning, coordinating and partnerships need to be developed today to get this campus built. We need this campus. Many of our bright, young, talented high school graduates have to go south to post-secondary school. Sadly, some of them stay in the South getting work, finding relationships and taking on their life in southern Canada. By providing an environment with a campus and expanded programs, perhaps we could keep more of our students here at home and our young people here at home.
Again, as this is Education Week, I want to thank all those involved in education around the Territory for all they do for us.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too want to add my voice to the Members and to talk about education. A couple of days ago, when I brought my young son to Mildred Hall School, my son was talking to me and saying that at the school they were learning the Dene laws. I said, oh, what kind of laws are you learning? He said, well, we’re learning about the Dene laws. I said, well, what laws do you know right now? He said, Dad, Dene law number three. I said, well, what’s number three? He said, Dene Law number three is love one another as much as possible. And I was going, oh, my God. Mildred Hall, I want to thank them for all the teachers and that, that they’re teaching about the Dene laws. That’s a law that my son is talking to me. That’s a very strong law and a very powerful law. It’s a good law to remind me. That is part of our education system today in the North here that they are teaching in our schools. How do we practice that law in today’s society? It’s very hard, very difficult. Yet our younger kids are learning this and we have to show them.
People in the North are listening to us. The Aboriginal governments are listening to us. They’re talking about us while we’re in this room talking about them. Something that we need to look at in our education field is that we come a long way from off the land into the world of computers. We really have to thank our teachers, our parents, the elders and the teachers today for helping us.
I also want to thank colleagues like us here, that day in day out have to be conscious of what we’re leading our people to.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have an excellent education system here in the North but it’s not quite working as it should. One only has to look at the 2010 student assessment results released by the Department of Education in January to know that. For the 2009-2010 school year, the highest percentage of students working at or above grade level in English Language Arts was 81 percent. That was for grade 1. The numbers, unfortunately, go downhill as the grades go higher. Interestingly enough, the numbers for students functioning at or above grade level in Mathematics is higher than for English.
Education is one of the pillars essential for the foundation on which the success of NWT residents depends. Research shows that, along with poor housing and health, low levels of education result in socially disadvantaged people. I believe that our Department of Education is aware that our system is less than perfect, but I don’t think we’ve yet figured out how to make it really important to our residents to ensure that our kids get to and stay in school. Many factors contribute to this situation; distrust of schools and education on the part of parents, for instance. I believe that our northern society does not place as much emphasis on the importance of education as we should, particularly our leaders.
The Miriam-Webster definition of “lead” is “to guide someone or something along a way.” We have leaders for a reason. We rely on them, we take cues from them and we follow their advice. I believe we need to convince our leaders, all leaders -- community leaders, government leaders, sport leaders -- that they hold the key to getting and keeping kids in school. If a leader sees that the kids are not attending school, then he or she should be speaking out about it, saying that it’s wrong. He or she should be visiting the family, asking why the kids are at home during the school day. He or she should use their influence to change the culture of their community so that education is important and is priority number one.
People listen to their leaders, and I include MLAs in that group. We have influence and we should be using it for the educational good of our children and our Territory.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Following on my colleagues for Education Week, I’d like to talk about some of the teachers that we have in Tuk that are leaving this year.
I was nine years old when Ms. Cameron came to town; her and her husband Brent. She really influenced me to always try and progress myself in school. She taught every one of my kids, all four of them. She won’t get to teach Mikayla, but she’s only eight, so hopefully next year. Ms. Cameron will be retiring back home to Cape Breton.
Mrs. Hayslip, who has always been a rock for the community and working with the kids in Tuk, pushing them, making sure they’re doing the best they possibly can.
Mr. and Mrs. Dawson, all the hard work they’ve done for the community of Tuk.
This year we had our long-time education...Thirty-five years Jean Gruben sat as the director of the education board in Tuk. I’d really like to thank her and all the hard work she’s done for all the kids.
All of the teachers in the Territory, thank you. To all the staff at Mangilaluk School and all the schools in Nunakput, keep up the good work. I thank the teachers and the parents.
On another good note, we had 108 kids over 80 percent attendance in Tuk that will be going to Inuvik for swimming day at the pool. That’s 108 kids. That’s awesome to see. I’d like to thank the parents that keep pushing those kids to school even when it’s 40 below. I’d like to thank all the teachers in the Territory and the Minister as well.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise in this House to recognize a special day. Albert Bohnet is 94; Febula Bohnet is 84. Today they have been married 66 years.
---Applause
She will always be the younger woman in his life.
The marriage started back in 1945. Just to give us a sense of scale and time, that was the last year of World War II. It’s a singular milestone.
Today they still live in their own home. They burn wood. They have a garden. Clearly a recipe for good health and a long life of love together is what they get as a result of their life together.
As we wish them well for the coming year and another year of togetherness and continued good health and happiness, I also have a wish for this Assembly that we may all be blessed with the love, health and longevity in our lives that they have shared in theirs.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I wish to recognize Pages here this week from the community of Sambaa Ke/Trout Lake. Also thanks to the principal, Lee Fillion, for being the chaperone. It’s an excellent program and I continue to support it. First here this week was Ms. Katrina Deneron. Second was Ms. Sheyenne Jumbo. I’m proud to say that Sheyenne is a young author. She had written a book in Trout Lake called Come Learn with Me. It sells at Amazon.com for $12.24. There are only two left.
---Applause
Hopefully they had a great week and really enjoyed it. Once again, it’s a good opportunity, Mr. Speaker, to bring children in from all our small and remote communities. Mahsi cho.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d also like to take this opportunity and with pleasure to recognize Darrell Bohnet, one of the children of Al and Febula Bohnet, from Fort Smith originally. A good Metis boy. Many years with the government, vice-president with Diavik, now retired in Yellowknife. I’d like to thank him for coming to the Assembly. He’s lucky to have such parents as he does. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are to the Minister responsible for Human Resources. I want to follow up on an inquiry and a bit of correspondence with the Minister regarding greening the workplace under the June 2009 Human Resources action plan, A Brilliant North. This objective calls for encouragement to employees to develop and implement environmental programs. Can the Minister tell us what work has been done to date? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister responsible for Human Resources, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Greening the workplace is a very important initiative that this government undertook as part of its 20/20 human resource strategic planning. What we’ve accomplished is we’ve set up an interdepartmental advisory Green Team that meets on a regular basis. We have representation from the majority of the departments and they make recommendations to our deputy minister committee on a quarterly basis. The green advisory team has developed an action and terms of reference that they’re working on. Thank you.
