Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I talked about the career and technology services in Tu Nedhe, both Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. I have questions for the Minister of Education pertaining to the situation in Lutselk’e. Can the Minister clarify why the current community learning centre facility cannot be maintained temporarily for a career and technology services trades programming until the Lutselk’e Dene School expansion occurs?
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
As the Members know, there is a community learning centre going up in Lutselk’e. The existing building that is in place right now, I guess it has been surplus to the community on the CLC, the community learning centre. The money that’s been operating with the existing building will be transferred to the new facility. If the community wants to take over the facility, the operating cost of the building will be on the onus of the community. That’s part of the reason.
I’d like to thank the Minister for that answer. I thought that the building was going to be decommissioned. There is a critical need for tradespeople and opportunities for the people in Lutselk’e to be employed at the mines. Does the Minister think that if there’s not enough money in the budget for the local district authority that the Department of Education would be able to assist in the operation and maintenance and custodial services to provide in the old community learning centre to be used as a shop?
As I indicated, the money that will flow with the new community learning centre will happen. The Member is asking for additional funding. We provide funding to the local DEA to provide programming in CTS and different areas. At this point we don’t have the additional dollars to put into the system. This is an area we can look at for next year’s planning session. At the same time, the funding that has been in existence is being transferred with the new building.
Can the Minister commit to giving direction to the staff to work with the local district education authority to come up with the costs to operate the old community learning centre as a shop for the career and technology services?
I can have my department work with the DEA on this matter. The Member has brought this to our attention on a couple of occasions now. We’ll definitely work with it and with the Member as we move forward. I’ll definitely agree to having my department work with the DEA.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister do that for the 2011-2012 school year? The beginning of the 2011-2012 school year?
Those are the things that we need to look at: what’s out there right now, what are the options. We need to get back to the department and find what we need to work with. This is an area that we need to look at in more detailed information and we’ll see what the outcome will be.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
