Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is focused on ensuring opportunities, education and training are available to all residents of the Northwest Territories. As our labour market needs expand, so do the opportunities. The GNWT Population Growth Strategy has a target to bring 2000 people to the territory in the next four years, and ECE is doing its part to contribute to that strategy through one of our most valuable resources – our students.

Ottawa, le 3ème juin 2015 – Jackson Lafferty, ministre de l’Éducation, de la Culture et de la Formation des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, a participé à la marche de la réconciliation et s’est exprimé lors de l’événement sur les gestes de réconciliation, pendant les festivités de clôture de la Commission de vérité et de réconciliation, le 1er juin à Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, ensuring the care and safety of children and providing accessible programs and services to families across the Northwest Territories is a top priority of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to achieving this Legislative Assembly’s vision of strong individuals, families and communities. By working together in partnerships we can reach our goal of healthy and educated people in sustainable and vibrant communities throughout our territory.

Mr. Speaker, ensuring Aboriginal languages survive for future generations is a key priority for our government and the Members of this Legislative Assembly. One of the most effective ways to ensure the continued use of all of the NWT’s 11 official languages is simply using and hearing these languages as part of our day to day interactions.

YELLOWKNIFE (May 27, 2015) – Nine Northwest Territories residents were honoured this morning as inductees into the Education Hall of Fame, which recognizes the important and lasting contributions of those dedicated to education in the North.

YELLOWKNIFE (May 22, 2015) – Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) Jackson Lafferty has announced improvements to the licensed child care programs inspection process.

“The Department is always looking for ways to improve the systems we have in place,” said Minister Lafferty. “Enhancing the inspection system will increase transparency and provide parents with valuable information to make informed choices about their child care options.”

YELLOWKNIFE (April 27, 2015) – Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Jackson Lafferty announced that Yellowknife employers have been exempted from restrictions on temporary foreign workers in the food services and accommodation and retail trade sectors by Minister of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Pierre Poilievre. 

YELLOWKNIFE (March 31, 2015) – The Government of the Northwest Territories invites parents or primary caregivers of babies born between April 2014 and April 2015 to apply to participate in the testing phase of the iPad Mini for New Parents project being launched by Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) today.

BANFF, AB (March 27, 2015) – Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Jackson Lafferty hosted sessions on new and innovative approaches to education in the North at the 5th International Summit on the Teaching Professions (ISTP) in Banff, Alberta on March 29-30, 2015.

On March 28th, Minister Lafferty took part in discussions surrounding the critical changes that we must make to ensure that education is relevant and equitable for Aboriginal students.