Aurora College President Angela James might not want to visit Fort Good Hope anytime soon after a remark she made about the closing of Community Learning Centres caught the ear of two MLAs at a hearing Thursday morning.
James was justifying the abrubt closure of 19 Community Learning Centres across the NWT, as enrolment dropped to only a total of 22 students attending classes in nine of the centres at a cost of $6.7 million annually.
“For the past 10 to 15, years, Community Learning Centres have become increasingly problematic, with low enrolment, high costs, especially top heavy in its regional administration, and being out of scope of Aurora College’s purpose to provide adult upgrading,” she said.
“Aurora College can no longer afford to operate a system that is prohibitively expensive, ineffective and outdated as well.”
At the morning hearing of the Accountability and Oversight Committee, Mackenzie Delta MLA George Nerysoo told James the Community Learning Centres are made up of students, staff and that they reflect the communities they serve.
Nerysoo said: “And in your presentation, you used the word ‘problematic.’ So, to me, you’re saying the staff, the students, and especially the communities, are problematic. That’s how I take it. It’s very it’s a very strong word.”
Sahtu MLA Daniel McNeely, left, and Mackenzie Delta MLA George Nerysoo during a hearing on Thursday, March 6th about the closure of Community Learning Centres by Aurora College. (Image courtesy of Assembly Livestream)
Sahtu MLA Daniel McNeely also took exception to the use of the term, ‘problematic.’
“I too feel similar to my colleague in Mackenzie Delta, and I’m looking at that word problematic, I’d be scared to go downtown Fort Good Hope and say you’re a problem,” said McNeely.
The MLA asked which communities were the 22 full-time students attending classes are in.
Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland, left, Aurora College board President Joe Handley and College President Angela James at a committee hearing on Thursday, March 6th. (Image courtesy of Assembly livestream)
Board of Governors President Joe Handley listed: Kátl’odeeche First Nation; Ndilo/Dettah, Fort McPherson, and Fort Good Hope.
The latter Sahtu community is “the most successful one in terms of using the CLCs,” said Handley.
McNeely then suggested the successful Community Learning Centres shouldn’t be punished for the non-performing sites.
Officials maintain that hybrid online courses, with classes based in Yellowknife, Inuvik and Fort Smith, with more supports for online learners, will save $8.2 million to $9 million, with $2.2 million to be reinvested in the new programs.
It will also allow residents in all 33 communities, not just the 19 where bricks and mortar College facilities exist.
Speaker Shane Thompson becomes emotional in the NWT Assembly on Thursday, March 6th. (Image courtesy of Assembly livestream)
Later in the afternoon sitting, tears flowed in what was an emotional time for Speaker Shane Thompson and Great Slave MLA Kate Reid.
Thompson was moved as Frame Lake MLA Julian Morse eulogized Ian Legaree, a dedicated public servant, tireless advocate for the North, and champion of youth and community development through sport and recreation in our territory.
“Mr. Speaker, the passing of Ian Donald Legaree is a significant loss for the Northwest Territories. He was a true builder of our communities, a dedicated public servant, and a compassionate individual. He will be deeply missed.”
Replied Thompson: “Our condolences goes out to the family. I had the pleasure of working with the man; he was amazing. So thank God my Member from Frame Lake did that statement here in the House.”
Great Slave MLA Kate Reid is emotional in the NWT Assembly on Thursday March 6th, as she reads a motion for critcial incident investigatiuons into three deaths in the Dehcho region. (Image courtesy of Assembly livestream)
MLA Reid also had to take time to compose herself as she read a motion to have a person appointed to investigate the passings of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hilary Norwegian as critical incidents.
“The ongoing effects of colonialism and anti-Indigenous racism continue to impact the healthcare system in the Northwest Territories,” said Reid. “An unnecessarily delayed treatment for a treatable illness contributed to the deaths.
“The families state that the treatment … are examples of substandard health care for Indigenous people … clear, immediate and measured actions from the Minister of Health and Social Services are required to prevent such incidents from happening again.”
The successful motion was seconded by Dehcho MLA Sheryl Yakeleya, as the three people were from her riding and had sought treatment at the Fort Simpson Health Centre.
That community of approximately 1,100 people has a health centre, but medical emergencies require that residents leave the community by air for hospital services in Yellowknife.
Health Minister Lesa Semmler said there are three active internal investigations underway “through quality assurance framework” of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority.
“I understand that these are not critical incident investigations; however, a critical incident investigation can happen at the same time and I will ensure that this happens,” said Semmler.
“I want to assure the families and communities affected that their voices matter, and that these tragedies will not be ignored.”
And also on Thursday, Tu Nedhé – Wiilideh MLA Richard Edjericon inquired about constructing an ice road to the fly-in community of Łutsel K’e, “in order to take the pressure off the cost of living in the community which faces high prices due to the shipping costs.”
However, Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek said a 200-kilometre ice road from Yellowknife to the East Arm of Great Slave Lake would be expensive and extremely difficult to construct and maintain over the unpredictable body of water.
“Preliminary estimates, being $7 million to $8 million every year because the road, of course, melts every single year,” said Wawzonek.
Supplies to the community of roughly 330 people are barged, boated or flown in.
