Daniel MacIsaac
Northern News Services
NNSL (Apr 23/99) - Thebacha MLA Michael Miltenberger has been kept busy in the legislature this week.
As the newly-elected minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Miltenberger has fielded a number of education-related questions from various members -- in the wake of Monday's budget speech by Finance Minister Charles Dent.
The 1999-2000 budget allocates $1.2 million to maintain the current ratio of teachers to students, and Yellowknife Centre MLA Jake Ootes asked for details of that ratio.
Miltenberger said the current ratio of one teacher for 18 students is "too high." After Ootes had pointed out that not all school boards adhere to this ratio, Miltenberger added that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is developing an accountability framework so that the ministry's guidelines are enforced.
Miltenberger said the department is also reviewing the issues of multi-level classes and special-needs students.
Mission to Nunavut
Pointing to the success of the international Team Canada trade missions organized at the federal level, Yellowknife South MLA Seamus Henry is proposing a mission to Nunavut.
Addressing the assembly Monday, Henry said, "It is a fact...that while this government has been concerned with the legislative mechanics of ensuring that Nunavut became a reality on April 1, 1999, other Canadian jurisdictions such as Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec have been busy organizing and leading groups of business people north to take advantage of the new economic opportunity that is Nunavut."
Henry pointed to the NWT's Northern expertise, its proximity to Nunavut and the need to develop the private sector.
During question period, Premier Jim Antoine responded to Henry's position, by assuring that while the territories have only recently divided and the NWT continues to provide many essential services to Nunavut, the idea of a closer economic relationship has already been raised.
Antoine said some sort of memorandum of understanding might be signed with Nunavut, along the lines of a recently-signed memorandum with the Yukon, and that he may arrange a meeting with his territorial counterparts to, "see what the possibilities there are in terms of a closer working relationship."
Also reacting to Henry's proposal was Hay River MLA Jane Groenewegen. She suggested Tuesday that the Northwest Territories should see what it can do to foster development of its own business communities before looking elsewhere.
