Debates of Nov. 6th, 2013

This is page numbers 3387 – 3412 of the Hansard for the 17th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library.

The word of the day was education .

Topics

Oral Questions

Members Present

Prayer

Report On The Northwest Territories Power Corporation

2013 Project Management Conference

Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association 60th Anniversary

Education Renewal Consultation And Leadership

School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Investment In Early Childhood Development Programs

Greater Emphasis On Early Childhood Development

Concrete Actions To Improve Student Achievement

Enhancement Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Early Development Instruments Results

Education Renewal In Small Communities

Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Foster Families For Children And Youth

School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Investment In Early Childhood Development

Enhancement Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Delivery Of Academic Curriculum In Small Communities

Tabled Document 5-17(5): Grants And Contributions 2012-2013 Results Report Tabled Document 6-17(5): Government Of The Northwest Territories Contracts Over $5,000 Report For The Year Ended March 31, 2013

Tabled Document 7-17(5): NWT Days Evaluation, November 2013

Tabled Document 8-17(5): A Powerful Past: 2013 Annual Report, Northwest Territories Power Corporation Tabled Document 9-17(5): Northwest Territories Hydro Corporation Annual Report, March 31, 2013 Tabled Document 10-17(5): Public Accounts, 2012-2013 Tabled Document 11-17(5): List Of Inter-Activity T

Tabled Document 12-17(5): Government Of The Northwest Territories Annual Report On Official Languages 2012-2013

Written Question 1-17(5): Calculating Eligibility For Income Support

Written Question 2-17(5): Calculating Eligibility For Public Housing Rental Subsidies

Education Renewal And Innovation

Strengthening Municipal Enforcement Of Liquor Laws

Sahtu Institute Of Technology Planning Study

Bill 1: Reindeer Act

Bill 2: Archaeological Sites Act

Bill 3: Surface Rights Board Act

Bill 4: Health Information Act

Bill 5:

An Act To Amend The Motor Vehicles Act

Bill 6:

An Act To Amend The Medical Care Act

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Concurrence Of Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditure), No. 1, 2014-2015

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

The House met at 1:30 p.m.

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---Prayer

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Prayer

Prayer

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Good afternoon, colleagues. Item 2, Ministers’ statements. Minister responsible of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger .

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Minister's Statement 2-17(5): Report On The Northwest Territories Power Corporation

Ministers’ Statements

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation is working to provide residents, communities and businesses of the Northwest Territories with a safe and reliable source of electricity that is both cost effective and environmentally sustainable.

NTPC’s renewed strategic plan is aligned with a number of this Assembly’s key strategies, from the Greenhouse Gas Strategy, the Biomass Energy Strategy and the Solar Strategy, to the Energy Plan and Power System Plan that will soon be tabled in the Legislature.

NTPC plays a critical role in our government’s plan to move the territory’s energy supply away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources which are cleaner and less vulnerable to price fluctuations. We are starting to see real success in this area at the community level.

Take the 100 kilowatt Fort Simpson Solar Energy Project, the largest solar installation in the North. The project demonstrated that solar technology can work in the North, and delivered on the objectives of the NWT’s Solar Strategy. The energy output is equivalent to powering 17 houses in the community and removing more than 76 tonnes of CO

from the

air. It also strengthens the case for NTPC’s net metering program which provides the tools for customers to benefit from supplying surplus solar power into the grid. NTPC is also working with communities to explore other renewable energy sources, including small hydro. Over the past year we have installed a water monitoring station on the

Kakisa River which will help to define the hydro potential that could one day power the community.

In Colville Lake we are now in the design phase of a project that will see a solar/diesel/battery system that will shut down the diesel plant for extended periods in the summer. It is anticipated this hybrid energy solution could significantly reduce diesel use and related emissions by supplying most of the community’s energy requirements during the summer. This initiative is of interest to communities in the NWT and is being watched closely by utilities in other jurisdictions such as Alaska.

In addition to advancing renewable energy projects, NTPC continues to transition towards environmentally-sound and cost-effective energy choices. A territory-wide program to replace traditional streetlights with LEDs will convert one or two communities per year and cut operating costs of the lights in half. Those savings will be shared with customers. Gameti was the first community to benefit earlier this year. Lutselk’e and Jean Marie River are next on the list.

Mr. Speaker, as we build momentum with these community-based power generation and conservation initiatives, more communities and customers will start to see how they can help improve the energy future of the NWT.

The storage facility for liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is nearing completion in Inuvik. Construction commenced in the late summer, with tanks and equipment arriving in September. The facility will be operational by the end of November.

LNG is cleaner with more than a 25 percent reduction in emissions and a lower-cost fuel that will displace diesel in Inuvik. LNG shows promise for reducing emissions and lowering costs in our road-connected diesel communities. Since 1964, LNG has maintained the best safety record of any fossil fuel. It is safer to transport and store than diesel and it leaves no trace in the event of a spill.

We are hopeful that following a successful transition to LNG in Inuvik, we will be able to expand use of LNG to other road-connected communities like Fort Simpson, Fort Liard, Fort McPherson and possibly Jean Marie River. Feasibility of winter road communities – Deline, Tulita, Norman Wells, Fort Good Hope, Tsiigehtchic and Tuktoyaktuk – will also be explored. Despite its

exceptional safety record, Mr. Speaker, we must recognize that LNG is new to the NWT and that communities will need more information and dialogue in order to feel confident about its potential.

In Yellowknife the key issue remains reliability. NTPC is committed to making improvements and has pledged to achieve a 70 percent reduction in the frequency of power interruptions over the next three years. This would bring the average number of NTPC interruptions down to five or less per year in Yellowknife. This fall the corporation reported significant progress, with 47 percent fewer outages than last year. While there is still much work to be done in comparison with the national average of 2.5 outages per year, I have confidence that the 15-point plan developed by NTPC will result in ongoing and noticeable improvements.

Mr. Speaker, NTPC is also keeping the big picture in mind. The corporation is actively investigating the potential for a transmission grid project that could transform the electricity industry in the Northwest Territories, stabilize and reduce the cost of power and significantly improve the conditions for economic development.

The vision is to build an integrated power transmission grid between the North Slave and South Slave hydro systems that attracts industrial customers and connects to the Canadian grid.

Mr. Speaker, this represents a big undertaking, with big potential benefits for the NWT and for Canada. Securing our energy future by providing much needed infrastructure would allow us to dramatically reduce reliance on diesel generation, including industrial loads. It would also mean we could provide residents and businesses with power at a lower cost, which would in turn stimulate economic activity.

Such a system would provide an energy highway for us to move existing hydro power around the territory in response to demand and to import electricity from the South when northern demand exceeds supply. In the future this would also position the NWT to expand our hydro potential to better meet our domestic needs while moving our cost of electricity more in line with the rest of Canada over time.

We have initiated discussions with the federal government to remove financial barriers and invest in energy infrastructure to make this project a reality. We are in preliminary discussions with Saskatchewan and Alberta with respect to connecting to their grid. I am looking forward to seeing where these discussions lead.

Mr. Speaker, NTPC is also striving to keep power affordable for all its customers. The general rate application process is winding down, and while no one welcomes the resulting rate increases, I can

assure you that we have worked to lessen the impact on customers, by avoiding large increases and spreading smaller increases out over time.

As an employer, NTPC continues to make the development of a northern workforce its key human resource priority. This year NTPC hired four local apprentices: an apprentice power lineperson and an apprentice diesel mechanic in Fort Simpson, an apprentice electrician in Fort Smith and an apprentice power lineperson located in Inuvik. The corporation has also recently recruited an apprentice electrician in Fort Simpson, has an offer pending to an apprentice diesel mechanic in Yellowknife and competitions closing for apprentice power linepersons in Fort Smith and Inuvik.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the overall level of collaboration I am seeing between our government and NTPC. This has resulted in better alignment between GNWT and NTPC goals and objectives.

NTPC will continue to work in partnership with government, communities, industry and its customers. Given the critical role power plays in the future prosperity of the NWT, this type of collaboration can only strengthen the position of our territory today and in the years to come. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 2-17(5): Report On The Northwest Territories Power Corporation

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger . Colleagues, before we go on today, I’d like to welcome to the House our Clerk of the Assembly. It’s Take Our Kids to Work Day. Ms. Hannah Schauerte is with her father here today, Doug Schauerte, who is our Clerk.

---Applause

Welcome to the Assembly, Hannah. Minister of Public Work and Services, Mr. Beaulieu .

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Minister's Statement 3-17(5): 2013 Project Management Conference

Ministers’ Statements

Tom Beaulieu

Tu Nedhe

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, effective and efficient government is one of this Assembly’s goals. One of the ways that the Department of Public Works and Services will be helping to support this goal is by hosting the 14th Project Management Conference from December 3rd to 5th . This conference draws together project

management experts to share their experiences and discuss best practices and innovative approaches to managing infrastructure projects more efficiently and effectively. Every two years representatives of the North’s project management community gather for this conference. Over three days, 250 to 300 delegates from community governments, the construction and consulting industries, and other professionals from the private and public sector will come together to share their project management knowledge.

This year’s conference theme is “Helping Northerners Prepare for Tomorrow.” An impressive team of national and northern experts will share their experiences and best practices, from hands-on project-based advice on managing risk and construction tendering, to expert advice on adapting projects to climate change.

The range of topics and quality of presenters provides capacity building and professional development opportunities for design consultants, contractors and project management professionals from all sectors of the industry and all areas of the North.

Mr. Speaker, one of the most important opportunities that the conference offers participants is the ability to network and strengthen the North’s project management community. This focus on networking and capacity building makes the conference a great option for those in our communities who might be thinking about attending, and I would certainly encourage them to do so.

As in past years, Public Works and Services will be partnering with the NWT and Nunavut Construction Association who will be sponsoring the Northern Construction Trade Fair.

It allows consultants, suppliers and manufacturers to connect directly with the project management community. This networking opportunity strengthens the community and supports the expansion of highly skilled and professional sectors. The GNWT relies on these sectors to deliver the projects our residents need. They are our partners and I look forward to meeting with them next month at the conference.

Mr. Speaker, we face unique challenges when it comes to building in the North. We have to deal with a short building season and remote construction sites. Climate change has meant we’ve had to change our approach to planning, and building and taught us unique lessons. This conference will be an opportunity to recognize and share the expertise of our northern professionals and increase public and private sector capacity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Minister's Statement 3-17(5): 2013 Project Management Conference

Ministers’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu . Item 3, Members’ statements. Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association 60th Anniversary

Members’ Statements

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On October 17th the Northwest Territories

Teachers’ Association celebrated 60 years of service to northern educators. The NWTTA, as it is

commonly called, had its humble beginnings in 1963 when it was founded by 63 teachers who attended the first NWT Teachers’ Convention in Fort Smith. For six decades this association has served as the professional voice for teachers across the Northwest Territories.

To put the significance of this achievement into perspective, consider this: dedicated teachers in the NWT were advocating for a professional development of teachers for a full 14 years before the seat of government for the Northwest Territories moved from Ottawa to Yellowknife. This is a remarkable achievement by any standard.

Today the NWTTA continues the strong tradition of leading and serving northern educators through professional development, partnership and communication. The association represents over 800 members, including teachers, school administrators and educational assistants, delivering programs in 49 schools to more than 8,300 students with diverse educational needs.

It represents teachers in the collective bargaining process for three different employers, participates with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the NWT Teacher Qualification Service program and promotes teacher excellence through initiatives such as the Thank You for Making a Difference Initiative, which has collected and delivered over 20,000 messages of thanks from our children to their teachers.

The NWTTA represents over 50 hardworking educators who make Hay River home and whose hard work makes our schools, Diamond Jenness Secondary, Harry Camsell, Princess Alexandra and Ecole Boreale, places that are safe and enriching environments for our children to learn. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank each and every one of these for their dedication to the growth and development of the children of Hay River.

I hope that all my colleagues in this Legislature will join me in congratulating Ms. Gayla Meredith, president of the NWTTA, and all teachers that make up the membership of this important association for the work that they do daily on behalf of all students across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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Northwest Territories Teachers’ Association 60th Anniversary

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Education Renewal Consultation And Leadership

Members’ Statements

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of hundreds of concerned parents in my constituency, I’m delighted to see the government moving forward with the Education Renewal, but I have two tough-minded messages for the department that’s heading up the overhaul.

The first message is that parents want to be involved. The majority of NWT schools are in small communities and the Department of Education needs to be listening to parents in these places. Their hearts are broken when they see their children’s poor results.

Their grief is deep when they discover their child’s high school diploma is not adequate for entrance into university or college. Their frustration is beyond measure when they discover courses offered in small community high schools are not academically rigorous.

Their desire is to do everything in their power to maximize their young child’s readiness for kindergarten.

To be sure, it is commendable that the department consulted with numerous groups, including district education councils, Aboriginal governments and community organizations. That demonstrates a real openness to hearing what needs to be fixed and ideas for moving forward.

But more has to be done to reach out to parents for advice. Parents want to be treated as vital partners in the renewal effort.

The second message is that we need decisive leadership. It’s the only way to turn the ship around. We need to show true leadership in education renewal, make some real changes for real results.

It is a travesty when top students in our small communities aren’t passing the departmental exams.

The situation is abysmal when only 11 percent of Grade 9 students in small community schools meet the standard of excellence on the Alberta achievement test. This 11 percent figure compares to 77 percent of similarly aged students in Alberta.

The document tabled last week certainly contains valuable material, but some of the language is woolly and vague. We need to do more than support initiatives and provide opportunity and enhance programs and ensure better supports are in place.

Enough is enough. We need to fix the education system. I implore the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to get connected to parents in our small communities and show decisive leadership that will bring real and lasting results.

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Education Renewal Consultation And Leadership

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . Member for Range Lake , Mr. Dolynny .

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School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Members’ Statements

Daryl Dolynny

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like many of my colleagues today speaking on the

recently tabled report, Education Renewal and Innovation Framework: Directions for Change, it is abundantly clear that our education system is in need of a shakeup. Of course, with any initiative report of this magnitude, we are hoping that this truly serves the department needs for the next 10 years and that the report does not collect dust on a shelf.

Although I don’t want to overshadow some of our successes, it may appear our failure rates as leaders, educators and society pales in comparison to our students’ low test scores and literacy rates. Change starts with the right framework and is measured by the right investment. The recent Auditor General of Canada report reminds us of that. The cliché “you can’t measure what you can’t count” may be surprisingly more appropriate for a Wildlife Act debate but, unfortunately, equally holds true in education.

In my first couple of days in office almost two years ago, I stumbled over a statistic that was alarming, and it remains an issue echoed in this ERI Framework. I would like to draw your attention to page 11 of this framework document, “by Grade 4 the average NWT student has already missed half a year of school, or two full years by Grade 10.”

What this statistic is saying is that the most we could aspire for a large number of our NWT students is that they have no higher than a potential Grade 10 upon graduation. One can maybe now comprehend why our Grade 12 Alberta test scores are so low. You can’t be academically at Grade 12 levels if you miss two years of school.

To the question of truancy, which is clearly one of the most serious barriers to our education system and I’m glad it was mentioned in this framework; however, this is just one page dedicated to this issue and it clearly does not give the statistic justice.

Let me be blatantly clear: School attendance is not the problem; it’s the end result of other issues. We need to understand why a large majority of our students stay away from school before we can affect positive change. Regrettably, this framework fails to realize these opportunities or even provide meaningful solutions.

In order for the Education department to break the socio-economic divide between small community and urban students, we need to address this barrier immediately and get them to attend school daily. Clearly, this framework report points out a serious red herring in our education system and yet offers little in the way of potential initiatives to address this.

I will have questions later today for the Minister of Education .

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School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny . Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

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Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our education system may be performing poorly, according to the recent reports. We are the ones who can do something with our education system. Clearly, education in the Northwest Territories is not up to par and we need to get it back on track. There is a big problem that requires bold solutions and decisive actions.

It is our children’s future that is at stake, and the stakes couldn’t be any higher. If we want our children to succeed, then we need to create a learning environment for them that encourages success. The standard wisdom holds that graduation rates are increasing because we are offering high school in smaller communities, but if our children are graduating and their performance is poor, what are we really achieving? If they get their diploma but can’t get a job or enter into college or university right after, what sort of success is that?

I have given this problem a great deal of thought. I have spoken to my constituents in the Sahtu, who, like all parents, simply want their children to have the very best opportunities that life can offer. I believe we need to challenge the conventional wisdom and reconsider the possibility of a regional high school in the Sahtu. If we look at some of today’s brightest northern leaders from the Sahtu, people like Stephen Kakfwi, Paul Andrew, Ethel Blondin-Andrew, George Cleary, Danny Gaudet, Sarah Baker, or Dora Duncan, and there are many others, one of the things they have in common is their acquired education.

Today’s leaders are educated together in a learning environment where they can challenge one another to think, to be motivated, to inspire and to grow.

Obviously, I’m not suggesting in any way a return to the old residential school system, but I’m saying that with devolution, decentralization and resource development, companies are looking for educated professionals in the regions and we need to do everything we can to prepare our children to answer that call.

This includes encouraging them to attend a regional high school where we can focus our education dollars on a centre of excellence, with a focus on math and science with many other programs aimed at getting our children ready for post-secondary learning or in a trades institution.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Members’ Statements

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

As we hear more from the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about this summer’s concentration on education

reform, I hope we hear bold and creative solutions aimed to drastically improve the education in the Northwest Territories. As we consider this, I challenge all Members of this House to think outside the box and to legislate seriously to turn this situation around and get education moving in the right direction. It’s what you do with education that counts, Mr. Speaker.

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Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .

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Investment In Early Childhood Development Programs

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Education Renewal and Innovation Initiative is a huge undertaking and an admirable action on the part of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. I appreciate the work that they have undertaken, that the ERI team at the department is doing. The work and the resulting renewal are necessary. There are changing trends in education and we see poor results from our current approach to NWT education, particularly in the Alberta achievement test scores and statistics around graduation rates for our students.

The Minister tabled the Education Renewal Initiative document last week, and good as it is, I have a number of concerns with the document as it has been presented. The framework has nine commitments, and I will focus on number four on my limited time today.

Commitment number four says, “ensure that learners experience supported and personalized quality education.”

It’s well documented, the science proves that investment in early childhood development – that would be the early childhood programming – reaps rewards later on. Early results from the Early Development Instrument, which is a test of kindergarten children for school readiness, shows that on average, NWT children are developmentally delayed compared to others in Canada. Indeed, the framework document says, “Many Kindergarten students across the territory exhibit poor learning readiness and are significantly behind in their development.”

It is imperative that we address this issue and the framework sets out some ways to do it. The Minister has referenced several times in the last few weeks that junior kindergarten will possibly be implemented in the NWT education system. The framework suggests it as a possible initiative, initiative number 4.3.

There is no doubt that our kids need to be ready for school in order to succeed, but to start programs at age four or five in junior kindergarten or kindergarten is much too late. We need to establish

early childhood development programs for kids aged zero to three and then junior kindergarten won’t be needed. We have full-day kindergarten now. I’m not suggesting we change that, but I am saying do not institute junior kindergarten.

Take the considerable dollars required for junior kindergarten and use it to develop the child earlier. If the government is looking to provide daycare in our communities, then call it that, don’t hide behind the junior kindergarten name.

Mr. Speaker, I see unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Investment In Early Childhood Development Programs

Members’ Statements

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Quality early childhood programs with trained early childhood educators available to children from birth will guarantee the development of the child that is now missing in many of our NWT pre-schoolers. If done right, it will benefit both children and families. If the Education department is serious about supporting student success, then ECE must work with Health and Social Services and re-profile the money earmarked for junior kindergarten to early childhood development. Thank you.

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Investment In Early Childhood Development Programs

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .

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Greater Emphasis On Early Childhood Development

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I began reviewing the Education Renewal Initiative, anticipating a statement detailing its failures. Wrong. In fact, I was impressed and offer my compliments to the people who have worked so hard to develop it and bring it forward.

The plan draws on research which reveals the need to teach, or a competency-based model that works better with how a child’s brain actually functions, with more integration of learning across subjects. Self-worth is recognized as essential for success in school for everyone.

More than knowledge and skills, learning involves the integration of thinking skills, creative abilities, attitudes, motivations and values. With the teachers’ guidance, this can be well-served using today’s access to information and through connections and relationships.

The document also lays plain our failure on early childhood development and, it breaks my heart to say this, gives shocking statistics like 35 to 60 percent of our five-year-olds in small communities entering school are developmentally delayed.

Authors state the need to put supports in place, even before children begin school, is evident, and go on to recognize the critical role of parents, families and communities. But here’s the thing, the

plan fails to acknowledge that without successful child development, much of the ERI is destined to fail. In a sense, given our current failure with ECD, it is five years too early.

We know that early childhood development success must be realized before we can expect gains sought through education renewal. I support the need for education renewal based on the reasons referenced above, but without healthy children entering schools, the conclusions of Aboriginal Student Achievement, quality of small community education and culturally based education can be improved through the ERI are not warranted.

Given that up to 60 percent of new students are underprepared for learning, how can we wonder why grad rates are stuck at 50 percent, the students are graduating without Grade 12 proficiency and so on? How can we expect success at programs like Aboriginal Student Achievement when the foundation for such accomplishment – healthy early childhood development – remains unaddressed?

For now I support going forward with the ERI, using existing resources.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Greater Emphasis On Early Childhood Development

Members’ Statements

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

For now I support going forward with the ERI, using existing resources. In order to achieve any success, an absolute imperative is to steadily and intelligently build our early childhood development initiative to a seven to 10 million dollar program annually. Assuming we can make measurable ECD progress in five years, then and only then would be the time, based on sound evaluation of progress, to consider supplementing resources to the ERI.

Let’s get it right from the very start. Mahsi.

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Greater Emphasis On Early Childhood Development

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . Member for Inuvik Boot Lake , Mr. Moses .

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Concrete Actions To Improve Student Achievement

Members’ Statements

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I came into this Legislative Assembly, I had a strong background in health and social services and working with youth. Being new to the Assembly and being privy to all the information that Regular Members receive, statistics on where government is, what really grabbed my attention was where our education system is. Although I did have a strong interest in education, all the information that I get as a Regular MLA tells me that the education system is not doing what it’s supposed to be for residents of the Northwest Territories.

Right from the start, from kindergarten, we’re already failing our people of the Northwest Territories, with having up to 60 percent, as my colleague Mr. Bromley stated, of youth entering the kindergarten system developmentally delayed in the small communities. Six out of 10 kids going into kindergarten are not ready, and not ready to handle school at a very young age. Then you go through to Grade 12 where four out of 10 Aboriginal students graduate. Four out of 10. Yet we talked about getting our Aboriginal people into the workforce when they’re not ready.

Right from the start we’re failing them. When they do graduate, they’re not academically ready and the education they have is not sufficient for them to succeed in post-secondary, where often you see some failures or extra years of studies.

Then we go on to adulthood where we have low literacy rates within the NWT and that’s stated in the document. Right from the start, we’re putting our children and youth at risk and we continue this practice throughout their educational lives as we continue to practice social passing. We continue passing our youth and students that are not ready for a higher academic of learning and yet we say here and continue to do it year after year after year.

In the document, it says for decades – decades – Aboriginal leaders across the NWT have been saying we need something that’s concrete that’s going to affect the education of our students and our children. This is Aboriginal leaders. It’s been decades. It’s about time that this government starts to listen. We do have a tabled document, but we must ensure, as Members have said, that it doesn’t get shelved like past documents and that we have to take the first steps and make sure we implement everything that’s in this document, starting with early childhood development and getting them ready for kindergarten. Thank you.

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Concrete Actions To Improve Student Achievement

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses . Member for Yellowknife Centre , Mr. Hawkins .

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Enhancement Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to start off today’s Member’s statement by referencing a document that’s been before the House. It was the NWT Standing Committee on Social Programs did a review of the Child and Family Services Act and it was authored by Cindy Blackstock – she was a PhD – back in April of 2010. The reference of her document was called I Want to Grow Up in My Community and it’s a review.

The good work done in that report, I feel it’s necessary to highlight the very first line because I think that’s what really becomes the most shocking and hopefully powerful, and it will resonate through

this statement. It says: “Aboriginal children account for 95 percent of children in child welfare care in the Northwest Territories, while representing only 50 percent of the population in this territory.”

Those factors, of course, are driven by neglect, poverty, housing, substance abuse, domestic violence and many, many other issues. If there’s one thing I certainly got immediately by reading that first sentence, I was shocked and dismayed and I thought, in what type of world is this normal. This can’t be normal here, and if it is normal here, what are we doing about it.

I’ve often been told about social workers who come to the Northwest Territories and I’ve often even heard about social workers employed in the Department of Health and the high turnover. The question is: Are we hiring the right types of social workers? Are they culturally shocked? Are they unfamiliar with the territory? Are they unfamiliar with the residential school legacy, the people, the small communities, the language?

Many social workers will travel up here on the circuit of experience, thinking let’s come to the promised land of challenge. When I get my bag of opportunities so full with tools and experiences, I can then challenge and go get a better job somewhere else.

The question I have for today more is built around training. I’m not going to blame this Department of Health and Social Services for what may not necessarily be their fault; on this one, that is. I’ll say that maybe training the right people has not been our true fight. Where has our crusade been to challenge this mountain? I view this as sometimes it’s have we asked ourselves the tough questions, are we providing the training access that we need. Aurora College provides a diploma program, but is that enough?

When I go back to the reference of 95 percent of the children in the Northwest Territories under custody are Aboriginal, I’m asking: Are we training the right people? Are we training Northerners? Are we training Aboriginal people? Are we training the people in the communities to help their own folks? I assert to you, I’m not sure we are and I think the statistics speak for themselves.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

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Enhancement Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Members’ Statements

Robert Hawkins

Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. This is actually the first time in this term, I think, I’ve asked for more time because I feel it’s such an important topic to ensure my statement fully gets out.

I ask ourselves: Is the diploma program enough? I will tell you the diploma program itself is great, but it’s not enough. Have we done all that we can? I don’t believe we are doing all we can. I believe if

our government is serious about training social workers who are in touch with the people, who are in touch with the culture, who are in touch with the communities, we should be asking ourselves: Why aren’t we leaning towards a Bachelor of Social Work Program?

As such, later today I will have questions for the Minister who is in charge of Aurora College, about asking what it will take to get this program appropriately done just like we did for the teachers and just like the nurses. Let’s do it. I believe we can. Thank you.

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Enhancement Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Members’ Statements

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins . Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Bromley .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Shane Clark. I can’t really see if he’s still up there, but Shane is the proud father, I know, of a couple of our Pages here, twins Sophie and Grace Clark. Welcome to the House.

I’d like to also, at this time, express appreciation to our Pages once again for all the service they’ve provided during this very busy session. Our long-suffering Pages in particular from Weledeh, besides Sophie and Grace we’ve also had Shiri MacPherson, who is the daughter of our Law Clerk, Sheila MacPherson. We’ve also had Niva Stephenson and Jacob Schubert. Again, thank you very much. And that could be Hannah Schauerte up there, as well, and I’d like to recognize her. It was a pleasure to be able to speak to her today.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . Ms. Bisaro .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize some Pages. I didn’t get an opportunity yesterday to recognize Anne Thomas. I don’t think she’s working here today, but there are a number of Pages from Frame Lake. Anne is one of them. Today I believe we have working here for us Jeff Harbin and Aaisha Hashi, and I’d like to compliment them on the work that they’ve been doing for us for the last, what, three weeks, I guess.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also recognize two Pages from Hay River that have been helping us out in the Legislative Assembly this week: Hannah Courtoreille and Tori Blake. I’d like to thank them for good work.

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Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . Also, I’d like to welcome my first cousin, Mr. Cameron Wolki-Jacobson, sitting as a Page, from Inuvik. Welcome, Cameron, and thank you for all the hard work that you’re doing.

I’d like to welcome here a good friend of mine, Mr. Jai Zachary from Summerland, B.C. He’s visiting us here for a few days in Yellowknife. Welcome to the House, Jai.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The Member for Weledeh , Mr. Bromley .

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to follow up on my Member’s statement earlier today with questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment specifically related to the Education Renewal Initiative. I’d like to focus on the latest research on how our children are doing. We have been testing young children approaching school age with a test called the Early Development Indicator. Could the Minister confirm that the latest data from the Early Development Indicator work is showing that 35 to 60 percent of children approaching school age in our smaller communities have development delays that may cause a reduced capacity to learn?

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bromley . The Minister of Education , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Those are some of the assessments that we have conducted throughout the Northwest Territories, working very closely with Alberta Education. As part of the process, of course, we need to find out where the students are at. There are some challenges, as the Member alluded to.

Due to that reason, we have developed two of the biggest files, the Early Childhood Development Framework, along with the action plan being developed, and also the Education Renewal Initiative and Innovation Framework and action plan to follow, which involves those DEAs, NWTTA and other parties from the Northwest Territories, so we can make this an effective mechanism for early learning, and then also for the students across the Northwest Territories.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Sad news indeed. I know we want to work on those statistics and improve them. The latest research shows that development of the brain and its neural pathways are largely established by age three.

How does this scientific evidence compare with the Minister of Education ’s understanding of how a child’s mind develops and how does he think this evidence should change the way we educate our children or assist them in development? Mahsi.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

We have conducted various research across our great country of Canada, even outside, internationally. What the

Member is referring to is some of the research that he would have on his file, if he can share that with us as well. We have all these different research that we conducted through our engagement with the committees as well. We have to try and use the best practices that are out there available to us instead of reinventing the wheel or the challenges that we are faced with today. In my view, we have all those documentation, the data, the stats. Now we need to move forward and develop an action plan towards that. That’s what we’re focusing on with our partners across the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Mr. Speaker, the data are crystal clear. The research is crystal clear. Brain development primarily takes place by age three and development of the neuro pathways takes place by age three, so the focus needs to be in the ages zero to three. Research is also showing that starting kindergarten at age four with junior kindergarten does not provide net benefits to learning over normal kindergarten programs, as my colleague Ms. Bisaro has outlined.

Given this evidence, does the Minister agree that, because the most important brain development occurs from age zero to three, that establishing junior kindergarten for four-year-olds is not the best investment to improve the mental development of our young children? Mahsi.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, again, there are other research. We also have research from different jurisdictions as well. With some of the research, whether it be internationally or nationally, one we have specifically is on a UK study, Effective Provision of Pre-school Education, a large long-term study. A year more of early childhood education makes a big difference to children. These are just some of the areas that we continue to focus as part of Education, Culture and Employment.

It is not only my department, I’m working very closely… We even partner with the Department of Health and Social Services because we want this to be an effective mechanism that we can deal with early learning as well. Ages zero to three, of course, would have to fall under Health and Social Services, so we are partners in that.

We are very serious about these challenges that we’re faced with and we are developing an action plan to deal with those matters. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley .

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Bob Bromley

Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ECE is the lead on our early childhood development. I’m pleased to see the progressive approach of the Education Renewal Initiative in addressing new ways of learning in today’s world. However, with so many children entering the system with a reduced capacity to learn, it is clear that we must have

success with early, zero to three, childhood development first.

Does the Minister agree with this analysis and will he commit to making a vigorous NWT-wide Early Childhood Development Program the number one priority of this initiative? Mahsi.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, the Early Childhood Development Framework will be capturing that. It is very serious to our department and with the Health and Social Services, so we will continue to push that forward in this House and in the Northwest Territories across the board. Mahsi.

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Question 12-17(5): Early Development Instruments Results

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Member for Nahendeh , Mr. Menicoche .

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services . When we’re talking about devolution, we’re talking about resources, we’re talking about expanding our Northwest Territories, having our own power, but I think the most important resource is, of course, our people and our children and them learning as well. We all know, and it has been shown, that student performance in small community schools has been nothing short of appalling.

Can the Minister provide assurance that this education renewal will address these very specific shortcomings and what will they be? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche . The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services , Mr. Abernethy . Sorry, Mr. Menicoche . It sounded like a question for Mr. Abernethy . The honourable Minister of Education , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I will certainly take that question. The Members referred to how parental involvement can happen along with Educational Renewal and Innovation Initiative. Those are just some of the areas that it’s captured, part of the recommendations that will be coming forward and action plan. Through engagement with the Members and also the communities, regional groups, organizations, it is through their voice and input that they want us to improve the overall education system. So that’s what we are planning to do.

In February during the session, I will table a document that highlights an action plan that clearly captures what the Member is referring to, and roll out the implementation. I am very much looking forward to it. We will be rolling out the program. Mahsi.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Straight from the record, as health and social services. The questions were

directed to the Minister of Education . Just further to rolling out the plan, I will ask the Minister how he will be rolling out the plan in regions and communities. In my constituency we have six small communities and I’d like to ask the Minister, is part of the plan to go to each of those small communities and roll out this plan. I think it’s very important for them to hear from the students, hear from the parents and hear from the teachers that are on the front lines in the small communities. Thank you very much.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

It’s very important that we involve the communities, the parents, the educators and the leaders of the communities. During the engagement process with the Aboriginal Student Achievement at the initial stage, that’s when we have the public forum in all regions, similar to what we have conducted with the education renewal process, engaging the parents and the educators. Once we start rolling out the program in six of the communities the Member is referring to, and other communities, as well, we must engage those parents. We must engage educators and the leadership, so we have to work through the DEAs and DECs.

All those partners are involved and engaging the communities. That is the overall plan. I have to make sure that it’s happening, as Minister responsible for Education . We need to reach out to those individuals. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

I’m glad that the Minister agrees with me that it certainly is a must. I’d like to know when he rolls it out, I know they already have a plan and a strategy in place, but should there be some unique ideas out there, are the department and the Minister willing to amend their plan. I heard one parent in my constituency talking about what students are being taught is not what they’re expected to learn, which means that they are failing the Alberta achievement exams because what they are being taught is not the standard.

How will the communities, how will the parents, how will the teachers effect change as this rolls out, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

I would love to hear from the communities, ideas and suggestions on how we can improve our overall education system. We are currently at the framework stages and are engaging the stakeholders to develop an action plan. That will be tabled in this House in the February/March session. Even after that, it is a working document. We are always making change to our policies. We are always making change to our programming. I will be open to those ideas that can benefit the North. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Menicoche .

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Kevin A. Menicoche

Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. While I know it’s probably impossible for

the Minister to be in each of our 33 communities, can he commit to at least participating in the roll-out at least once in each region or at least make as many appearances as possible? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

With the overall engagement of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative, I’ve been to every region, participating in two or three-day sessions. Particularly this one is very important to me and also working with Health and Social Services. We will be going to those communities and engaging those participants and sharing their ideas and suggestions, so we will make every effort to be in attendance at those forums. We are committed as a department. Mahsi.

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Question 13-17(5): Education Renewal In Small Communities

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Colleagues, before we move on today, I’d like to welcome our Information and Privacy Commissioner Elaine Keenan Bengts to the House.

---Applause

Member for Hay River South , Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment on the Education Renewal Initiative. For some reason, as I’ve raised in this House many times before, it seems it’s our educators on the front line who are discouraged from expressing their opinion on a lot of things, and for what reason, I do not know because I would say they are in the best position to help us put together the best policies and practices to educate our children. I’d like to, for the record, ask the Minister if there was extensive consultation directly with educators for this Education Renewal Initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen . Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I don’t like the word consultation; I like the word engaging. We have engaged with our stakeholders and they are part of the educators, the principals, the program coordinators. The Member is referring to front-line workers. I totally agree with her that we need to get ideas from those individuals. If we have missed out on those individuals and their input, I would like to hear from them either through my office, through my department, through DEAs, DECS, various partners that we have in the field. We’d love to hear from them. So, Mr. Speaker, if we have missed out on those certain individuals, by all means, I am open to those suggestions as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

As a government, we come up with new initiatives from time to time; maybe all the time, I’m not sure. The Minister has made mention of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative and now this, with the Education Renewal Initiative. We have heard some pretty dire statistics on the preparedness of students and even ongoing statistics. I would like to suggest to you that those statistics are not prevalent in all communities, in all schools and in all regions. I would say those statistics do exist, but I would say there are schools where there is a lot of success.

I just opened the inside page of the Hub today, and the Parent Action Committee has taken out a full-page ad to illustrate the achievement of the high school students in Hay River. Mr. Bouchard and I had the opportunity to attend the end-of-session assembly at one of the other grade schools in Hay River. The kids that were going up there that we were giving out medals and awards to for achievement in their academics and sports and everything else, was just amazing. The results of these tests in Hay River, I must say – and I’m not trying to put anybody else down or trying to brag here – but the results of these achievement tests in Hay River have just been skyrocketing. It’s just amazing.

This initiative, is this going to make everybody do things differently or could it be targeted to those areas where most needed? Thank you.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

The Member is correct; there are success stories in other regions as well. The South Slave’s literacy coach has been very successful to date. The Phoenix School is another one that’s been highlighted on numerous occasions, as well as Beaufort-Delta e-learning. There are all of these success stories. Of course, we are integrating into education renewal as well.

Of course, we’ve listened to the parents and educators and they’ve told us to focus on those individual communities that are struggling. That’s what we are doing right now, based on their input, their feedback. So, what the Member is referring to, this is our approach and we will continue to move that forward. Mahsi.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you. I’m very happy to hear the Minister say this will not be a broad-sweep approach, because sometimes when the Department of Education comes out with new initiatives, they expect all teachers to take some new approach and best practices and basically have to revamp the way that they are educating the students in their classrooms and sometimes it’s more disruptive than helpful, to tell you the truth. At least from what I hear from them.

If we’re not going to take the broad-brush approach to the implementation of this Education Renewal Initiative, I would like to ask the Minister by what

means are they going to establish the areas that need to be targeted to bring all regions and all schools up to a standard that’s acceptable. Thank you.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi. Focusing on the communities and also the regions, again, we have to work closely with the district education authorities and the councils. They have given us positive feedback on the success stories, as the Member is referring to, and focusing on the small communities. One of the pillars is focusing on small communities, staff development and student assistance. As we roll out the action plan, it will be captured, focusing in certain areas that require attention.

The Member is asking about the broad sweep and the particular focus. Those are discussions that we’ve had throughout our engagement. I’m looking forward to delivering this action plan in this House and rolling out the program in the communities. Mahsi.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Your final, short supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen .

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jane Groenewegen

Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Included in this rollout, will there be a defined reporting, monitoring, so that we can see what this new initiative is accomplishing? We need to measure the outcomes of these things that we roll out and that we initiate. So I’d like to ask the Minister, will that be clearly included in this initiative so that we can be reported back to on how it is affecting the statistics. Thank you.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi. Yes, the monitoring, evaluating and also the measurement of how the program will be running as far as the implementation and rolling out the program. So we will be keeping standing committee up to speed and engaging them as we roll out the program, short-term and long-term. So, yes, I agree with the Member that we will be monitoring this whole evaluation. Mahsi.

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Question 14-17(5): Role Of Educators In Developing Education Renewal Framework

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Member for Hay River North , Mr. Bouchard .

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Robert Bouchard

Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today will be for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation. In 1989 the Power Corporation moved its head office to Hay River. We’re awfully proud of that facility in Hay River.

My question is that the positions in the Hay River headquarters office have been floating slowly over to Yellowknife and other locations. I know there are currently 70 positions in Hay River, but I’m wondering if the Minister can answer how many positions are currently located in Yellowknife.

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard . Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation , Mr. Miltenberger .

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Roughly about 45, I believe. Thank you.

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Robert Bouchard

Hay River North

I am concerned with that large a number. I think the number is somewhere between 45 and 50 and I’m wondering why there are so many positions such as engineers, safety specialists that are currently in Yellowknife when Hay River is the headquarters for the NWT Power Corporation.

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

The majority of those positions are tied specifically to the operation of the Snare system and, of course, the Jackfish plant and Bluefish, as well, in the larger service area that we do have. Thank you.

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Robert Bouchard

Hay River North

Thank you. With decentralization as a priority for this government, will the Minister commit to reviewing these positions and making sure that none of those positions currently could be located in Hay River?

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

Thank you. I have a note here from the president and one of his comments is they are in fact struggling to fit everyone in on the second floor of the Hay River head office building where engineering is located. But, yes, we will commit to make sure that all the positions in Yellowknife are required and, of course, being from Fort Smith where we have almost no NTPC presence…

---Interjection

---Laughter

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

Michael Miltenberger

Thebacha

I can feel the love.

---Laughter

We will endeavour to make sure that all the positions are appropriately located. Thank you.

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Question 15-17(5): Location Of Power Corporation Personnel

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger . Member for Inuvik Boot Lake , Mr. Moses .

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We’ve had a lot of discussion today on the Education Renewal document that was tabled in the House last week. However, I’m going to ask my questions and rank them in the way that we talk about anti-poverty and we talk about mental health and addictions. I’ve got questions today for the Minister of Health and Social Services and that’s relating to foster parenting in the Northwest Territories.

I’d like to ask the Minister what is our current situation with foster parenting in the communities, in

the small communities and the regional centres where we tend to sometimes have our highest incident rates of either mental health and addictions or some of our other poverty statistics. What is our current status of the foster parenting program in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Moses . Minister of Health , Mr. Abernethy .

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s a fairly broad question. I could spend a significant amount of time talking about it. Foster families are an important resource and essential to the safety and well-being of children throughout the Northwest Territories who need that type of support. As the Member knows, and I think other Members know, our first priority is always to provide children with a foster home with extended family or friends where possible, but that doesn’t always work out and we do have to use unrelated foster families.

As of September 1, 2013, there were 203 youth or children in foster care in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you. I guess I could have been a little bit more specific. I guess what I was looking for is as a department do we have enough foster parent families for the amount of children that are being apprehended or that need foster care?

Does this government have enough foster parent families as we talk about this situation right now? Thank you.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you. We always need more foster parents. We do work with the NWT Foster Family Coalition and provide them with some money so that they can continue to go out and advertise and encourage people to become foster parents. I think in 2013-14 we provided them with $172,000 to do that work to go out and recruit more. Short answer, we always could use some more loving, caring, dedicated, committed foster parents to support our youth. Thank you.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you. I do agree with the Minister that we do have a lot of caring families out there and I appreciate the hard work that they do, as well as the staff that continue to go out and recruit. The last time I left Yellowknife I saw a booth that was set up in the Yellowknife Airport looking for foster parents.

Does the Minister have a number of apprehended youth in the NWT right now looking for foster parenting placements, and if there’s no placement for them, what are the services that are provided to children that are being apprehended? Where do these children go? Thank you.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

Thank you. As of September 1, 2013, there were 593 children receiving services under the Child and Family

Services Act. Three hundred and two of these were in their parental homes, 20 have a provisional foster, 46 are in extended family foster, 137 are with regular foster parents, nine are in northern treatment, 41 are in southern treatment, 50 are in group homes, 13 are receiving support and living in room and board, and six are in adoptive homes. Thank you.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Moses .

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Alfred Moses

Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister provides some very interesting statistics, knowing there is a need for foster parenting. He mentioned group homes. I was wondering how many group homes do we currently have in the Northwest Territories.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

Glen Abernethy

Great Slave

I’ve been in this job for almost a week now and I’ve had a significant number of briefings, and that number is a number that I haven’t been briefed on yet. I think I know but I’d rather not throw out a number and be incorrect, so I will commit to getting the Member that information.

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Question 16-17(5): Foster Families For Children And Youth

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy . Member for Range Lake , Mr. Dolynny .

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Daryl Dolynny

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today in my Member’s statement, I referred to a passage in the recently tabled Education Renewal and Innovation Framework, and it stated: “by Grade 4 the average NWT student has already missed half a year of school, or two full years by Grade 10.”

Truancy or attendance concerns are not only unique to the NWT but are a critical barrier to our students’ success and their achievement. My questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment .

Admittedly, upon review of the ECE framework, it only dedicates one page of this truancy concern in its framework for change document, with little to offer in terms of potential initiatives to address this barrier. Can the Minister of Education indicate as to why so little attention to truancy?

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny . The Minister of Education , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The truancy is obviously an important area for education renewal. The issue of attendance is being actively discussed at the national stage and also internationally. One of the reasons, I guess, for education change is it is happening everywhere. Alberta is changing their whole education system.

The Member is correct that some of the students are missing up to one day a week of school, which

translates into almost two years. We’ve had discussion with that Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative as well. This is not acceptable and it compromises the students’ success in the future. Yes, it may be one page, but it’s a start, and we will be building on that. Truancy and attendance and all those areas are key factors in our discussion to deal with these students.

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Daryl Dolynny

Range Lake

I’m looking forward to hearing more about that in due course. Can the Minister indicate what role are parents, educators, administrators and our elected community leadership playing within this new framework to address poor attendance in our schools?

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

The parents and also other stakeholders are actively engaged. The parents, we’ve been told through our engagement, that the parental involvement is a must. Having release of this document in this House and also part of our media release was that we have partners there as well through DEAs and DECs. The NWTTA was part of that. TCSA as the chair was represented at that level.

We want to engage almost everybody across the Northwest Territories because it will have an impact not only the schools, but at home, with the grandparents, the parents. We have to encourage those students that they have to be engaged in the school activities as well. It’s everybody’s role to be part, so we will be reaching out to those individuals.

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Daryl Dolynny

Range Lake

I’m encouraged that the Minister is encouraged. Elders play an integral

part in teaching us many life skills, or at least they should be. These role models serve as mentors for our youth and could assist with attendance issues.

What is the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment doing to facilitate more elders in our schools?

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

We have rolled out the Elders in Schools Program starting this September, and it’s based on the Members voicing their concerns and ideas in this House. We have developed an action towards that. It is a small start. We want to focus on the regions and on to all communities, the schools. We want to cover 49 schools eventually, and we will get there. Elders play a pivotal and very important role. I fully support that, as well, and we have started that this September. We want to increase that next year as well.

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny .

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Daryl Dolynny

Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One solution to achieve better school attendance in remote regions found in many other countries is the creation of a school calendar and daily timetable that is negotiated with the community and school to achieve a better fit for the students. Can the

Minister indicate, have such school calendar models been researched and could we expect to see such models piloted in our NWT schools?

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Yes, school calendar and scheduling has been part of some of the schools. Now we have to coordinate with the DEAs and DECs, because some of the schools, as the Member alluded to, there are success stories and some of the students are moving on to post-secondary and coming back and working for the Northwest Territories. There are success stories. Based on that, the school calendars and the scheduling, we have to take those into consideration, as well, on the education renewal and working with the DEAs and DECs as well as our true partners.

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Question 17-17(5): School Attendance And Truancy Impacts

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Member for Sahtu , Mr. Yakeleya .

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister’s new renewal of the education system in the Northwest Territories is refreshing. It talks about some of the things that we need to do, and as I read the report the facts stare right in my face and the problem is really huge, and the government is responding to these problems. I want to ask the Minister, with his discussion with Mr. Menicoche , in the short-term, has the Minister and his department considered offering Grade 12 in our high schools, because the quality of our diplomas are not as high as we think they are.

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya . The Minister of Education , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Part of the process, of course, is re-evaluating the overall education system, the programming that we’re delivering into our schools. Alberta, of course, is going through some changes as well. We follow their curriculum, their departmental exams. If there are changes at that level, we have to monitor that, take that into consideration and follow through with our education system.

Yes, there will be some changes that will reflect on our northern perspective, and we want to have a curriculum that is comparable, on par, at a Canadian level. That is our goal and that is our objective.

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

I wanted to say Grade 13. I said Grade 12, but I wanted to say Grade 13. That will give the students the added time of one year to catch up so they can either go right to work or go to a college or post-secondary education. Give them that transition for them to do a Grade 13. Add that as a course for these students who are graduating from Grade 12 and we know that the diploma

doesn’t quite get them into a post-secondary or college or a university program.

Can the Minister look at a short-term solution to have that offered in our small communities as a Grade 13 education schooling in our small communities or in the North?

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

As I stated earlier, we’re open to ideas and suggestions, but this is the first time I’ve heard about Grade 13 through the engagement that we’ve had. It hasn’t been brought up but it’s been brought up now, so we can have that part of our discussion. I know that Ontario had Grade 13 before, and they got away from that, so we have to find out the pros and cons at that level, as well, but surely we can take those into consideration as we move forward. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Mr. Speaker, I’m looking at what can we do for our students who are graduating with a Grade 12 diploma. Sometimes a diploma is not as strong as we want it to be. I’m looking at ways we can build self-esteem and self-confidence for these Grade 12 graduates. Having a Grade 13 in our high schools would give them that confidence, so when they apply for college in Fort Smith or any other college in the Northwest Territories or a post-university institution down south, it would make them feel that, yes, I do have an incredible diploma.

If we have a Grade 13 program in our schools, that would fit them into…other than just to send them out and apply for Aurora College upgrading programs or an access program. This would be more successful.

I ask the Minister again, in his search for solutions and better education in the North, is this something that he would investigate with his department and colleagues and say, can we do this?

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, certainly that will be part of the option that we can consider as we discuss part of the action plan and moving forward. Again, reiterating that this is the first I heard on the Grade 13. We haven’t heard that before. It will be new to the Northwest Territories. By all means, we can definitely be discussing that. Mahsi.

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya .

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Norman Yakeleya

Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know our students can do it. Last year at the Colville Lake high school, there were three graduates and they did it through the new technology. I’m looking at these small communities and I’m asking that this Grade 13 concept be seen in the minds of the people in the Northwest Territories and see if it has some value in offering this type of program.

Would the Minister be able to report back to the Assembly on this concept by the end of this year

and say, yes, it has value? Would he be able to do that?

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, we will be conducting research and see what we come up with and I will be sharing that with the standing committee. Mahsi.

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Question 18-17(5): Regional High Schools As Centres Of Excellence

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Member for Frame Lake , Ms. Bisaro .

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are also addressed to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment . I want to follow up on my statement and discuss a proposed action within that Education Renewal and Innovation document. I talked to it in my statement that it seems that the department and the Minister are suggesting and fairly firm on going forward with junior kindergarten. The document that we have that was tabled talks about poor learning readiness. I’d like to reiterate my feeling in my statement that we don’t get learning readiness if we start at age four; we get it if we start at age zero.

I’d like to ask the Minister how the decision to go forward with junior kindergarten was reached. He referenced an

article from the United Kingdom which says that it’s wonderful. I’ve seen several articles in the last month or so which indicate that junior kindergarten and kindergarten are not all that great. They are good for two years, but beyond that not.

How did the department and the Minister reach the decision that junior kindergarten was the way to go and where we should spend our money? Thank you.

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro . Minister of Education, Culture and Employment , Mr. Lafferty .

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We talked about junior kindergarten along with other initiatives that we want to start working towards as part of our Early Childhood Development Framework and rolling out the action plan towards that. Part of that discussion is thinking about junior kindergarten. From what we’ve heard, we’ve heard over and over that we have to start from an early age.

There have been several reports. The Member and other Members, as well, reported on various research. One of the reports, of course, is from Ontario, that has very encouraging results, with a 7 percent increase in the number of children who are ready for Grade 1 learning as measured by Early Development Instruments. Those are just some of the areas, and it’s very important to recognize that kindergarten is also an option for the NWT; it’s not mandatory. Those are just some of the things we

are considering as part of our approach on these initiatives. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. At the risk of being contrary, I would like to say to the Minister that there is also an

article that talks about Ontario’s kindergarten and that any benefits from junior kindergarten and kindergarten are lost by grade 3 or 4 and everybody is back to being on the same level, so I don’t think junior kindergarten is the panacea he’s suggesting.

We have a couple of junior kindergarten pilots right now. From what I understand, at least one of them, and I suspect all of them, are in a classroom combined with kindergarten, so you have junior kindergarten students in the same classroom as kindergarten students. From what I hear, that’s not working very well at all.

I would like to know from the Minister, if we go forward with junior kindergarten, what is the plan of the department to house kindergarten and junior kindergarten in our schools. Will they be in the same room or will they have their own classrooms? Thank you.

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, I will just again reiterate some of the findings. Long-term studies found that academic gains of entry to school will shorten a very few years at the beginning, but pay out significantly later in adolescence and adulthood. Those are just some of the school completion learning having an effective lifestyle.

When it comes to a proposed junior kindergarten, we have to work with the DEAs and DECs as well. We are working closely, of course, with Health and Social Services, as well, because it will have very positive ripple effects into our communities. These are just the preliminary findings that we’ve had and the action plan pertaining to that. We will be working very closely with all of the stakeholders that are at hand. Mahsi.

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thanks to the Minister. The Minister speaks to research that talks about junior kindergarten and kindergarten and the benefits of that, and has been pointed out by Mr. Bromley many times and myself a number of times, the science also, and the research particularly, supports the larger gains that are made when we provide the early childhood programs for zero to three.

If we do implement junior kindergarten, it’s going to be a very costly venture. I have no idea what the estimate of the amount of money that’s going to be required, but if we put junior kindergarten into every one of our 49 schools – I think it’s 49 we have – that’s going to be a lot of money.

I’d like to ask the Minister how he expects that junior kindergarten will be funded. Thank you.

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Jackson Lafferty

Monfwi

Mr. Speaker, the proposed junior kindergarten obviously is an investment into our schools, into our children. Obviously, we have to find funds to offset the costs. We are exploring those areas and we need to move forward on this. Now we have a framework that’s been tabled in this House and an action plan is part of that moving forward. The junior kindergarten has been proposed. I believe it will benefit the children, the schools and the communities, the regions, the whole Northwest Territories, comparable to other junior kindergartens in Ontario and other places. We want to be on par with other jurisdictions as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

The Speaker

Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty . Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro .

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Question 19-17(5): Investment In Early Childhood Development

Oral Questions

Wendy Bisaro

Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Minister that anything we do for our children is an investment, but I believe again that he is misplaced in putting the investment in junior kindergarten as opposed to investing in our children from birth