The District Education Authorities in Jean Marie River, Wrigley, and Nahanni Butte are required to organize elections promptly based on the initial conclusions of the territorial government’s inquiry into Dehcho education organizations.
The Department of Education, Culture, and Employment (ECE) has not disclosed the initial report but shared key findings and recommendations from the independent investigator through a press release on Tuesday. The investigator, appointed in July to assess the operations of the education bodies and the performance of elected officials and administrative staff, followed up on a variety of concerns in the area without specifying a cause for the investigation.
The investigation initially focused on examining the elections and quorums of District Education Authorities (DEAs) and the Dehcho Divisional Education Council (DDEC). It was discovered that some DEA members’ terms have expired, necessitating the immediate holding of elections. In the interim, the education bodies are advised to appoint appropriate members to the DDEC, which is comprised of representatives from each DEA within the region.
Additionally, the investigator noted discrepancies in aligning elections and members’ terms with local community governments as mandated by election laws. The challenges of conducting regular DEA elections were attributed to the small size of communities and the limited availability of volunteers. However, there were no indications of improper motives from individuals serving extended terms without proper electoral processes.
To address these issues, the investigator recommended that ECE play a more active role in supporting education bodies with their elections, in collaboration with local governments and the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. The territorial government has accepted all recommendations put forth by the investigator.
Education Minister Caitlin Cleveland expressed her commitment to the investigation’s findings and her responsibility in supporting education bodies in the Dehcho region. She emphasized the importance of the recommendations in a statement included in the press release.
The DDEC and DEA chairs in the Dehcho communities did not respond to interview requests. A spokesperson from the Department of Education confirmed that relevant information from the initial report has been shared with the DEAs, DDEC, and select Indigenous governments to address election concerns.
The investigation is ongoing, with a final report expected by early December. The Department of Education has yet to decide on the public release of the report due to potential confidentiality issues regarding participant contributions. Participants have been assured that their input will remain confidential, and findings will be disclosed publicly as deemed appropriate.