(June 5, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce a new initiative that aims to promote the Government of the Northwest Territories as an inclusive workplace, a key commitment of 20/20: A Brilliant North, the NWT Public Service Strategic Plan.
(June 5, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be joining my colleague, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, in tabling Right from the Start: A Framework for Early Childhood Development in the NWT later today. This Framework not only responds to the priorities of this Legislative Assembly, it also answers concerns that are top of mind for the people of the Northwest Territories.
(June 5, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, this Assembly’s vision of healthy, educated people contributing to a strong and prosperous Northern society starts in early childhood, from prenatal to five years. The Departments of Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services have worked collaboratively to craft a renewed Early Childhood Development Framework based on best practices and national and international research. We will be tabling this document later today.
(June 3, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, mining has a long and rich history in the NWT. For more than 60 years, our vast resources have made us a land of great potential, and we need to make the most of that potential. One of the main priorities of this Government is to have an economy that is strong and diversified, and we identified the need for a comprehensive, environmentally sustainable Mineral Development Strategy.
(June 3, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, Elders play a vital role in integrating languages and culture into school programming and provide valuable skills and knowledge to our children and youth.
(June 3, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, we all know the terrible toll that addictions take on our people and our communities. Widespread addictions are one of the biggest barriers to achieving the vision and priorities of this Assembly – it is a driving force behind family breakdown, incarceration, homelessness, and developmental delays in children.
As a government, we have invested millions of dollars into tackling this issue, and commissioned numerous reports but we haven’t seen much improvement.
(June 3, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, the 17th Legislative Assembly has a vision of a territory where strong individuals, families, and communities share in the benefits and responsibilities of a unified, environmentally sustainable and prosperous territory.
(May 31, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, bullying is a broad societal problem and a very serious issue in our schools that Education, Culture and Employment is dedicated to addressing.
On February 16, 2012 the Legislative Assembly passed an Anti-Bullying Motion, calling on the Department to establish a territory-wide campaign to denounce bullying, and review anti-bullying legislation in other jurisdictions and bring forward a bill for consideration by the Assembly within 18 months.
(May 31, 2013) - Mr. Speaker, last June in this Legislature, I expressed our government’s formal commitment to a set of principles and key actions to strengthen and renew our relationships with our Aboriginal government partners. “Respect, Recognition, Responsibility” is a foundational piece upon which all of our actions and commitments are built.
