Mr. Speaker, Aboriginal Languages Month is an opportune time to reflect on past successes and the work that lies ahead in continuing to promote, revitalize and preserve our nine official Aboriginal languages. We are all burdened by the truth that some of our Aboriginal languages are struggling, not because we are not doing enough to support them, but because the challenges they face are complex.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment has approved five traditional Aboriginal names for the Mackenzie River under the NWT Geographical and Community Names Policy.
As the Department responsible for community and geographical names in the Northwest Territories, we place a special emphasis on traditional Aboriginal geographical names as they are important to the culture, history, and languages of the people of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, I have often talked about the Education Renewal Initiative in this House and have updated Members a number of times as to its progress. In our discussions last year, Members said that unless children actually go to school it does not matter what programs and supports are provided. Members encouraged us to create a school attendance advertising campaign, and, Mr. Speaker, we have acted upon that advice.
YELLOWKNIFE (March 2, 2015) – Experience the stories, culture and heritage of the Northwest Territories through the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre’s dynamic new website.
On February 1st, the Northern Heritage Centre launched a redeveloped site that includes innovative technologies, expanding the museum’s virtual presence.
The new site allows visitors to engage with the Heritage Centre’s programs, objects and archives, essentially becoming an on-line library of the territory’s rich cultural offerings.
YELLOWKNIFE (March 2, 2015) – Minister of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) Jackson Lafferty congratulates the first NWT students awarded a $5,000 Right from the Start Early Childhood Development (ECD) Scholarship to support their full-time studies in Early Childhood Development.
YELLOWKNIFE (February 27, 2015) – Former Justice Thomas Berger will be visiting the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre to officially open theThunder in our Voices exhibit currently on display until April 30, 2015.
Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Ms. Lea Lamoureux, Principal of Kaw Tay Whee School in Dettah, on being recognized as one of Canada’s Outstanding Principals for 2015.
She is the most recent in a long list of Northwest Territories recipients, who have been recognized for their dedication and passion for teaching our students in the Northwest Territories.
YELLOWKNIFE (February 19, 2015) – Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Jackson Lafferty announced enhancements to immigration programs in the Northwest Territories today.
“To sustain a strong and competitive economy, grow and diversify the work force and maintain the level of service to which we have become accustomed, this government is committed to increasing the population by 2,000 people over the next five years,” said Minister Lafferty. “Immigration needs to be part of that solution.”
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that the Territorial Nominee Program has been greatly enhanced to better meet the needs of employers and to advance the population and economic growth objectives set by this government.
Mr. Speaker, all children in the NWT deserve the best possible care, nurturing and support, so that they can develop physically, emotionally, socially, culturally and spiritually. When these supports are in place right from the start, children are more likely to grow up to become healthy productive members of their communities and society.
