I move that the committee recommends that prior to the establishment of a position of adjudicator, the Minister must clarify and justify the nature of such a position.

Question.

Question.

I move that the committee recommends that, in accordance with rule 93(5), the Minister shall table a comprehensive response to this report.

Question.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Earlier last week, I made some opening remarks in tabling this report. I would like to follow up with some more comments on the report and follow that up with some recommendations.

Interim Report Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions tabled its interim report on Arctic College -- Committee Report 8-12(2) on March 25, 1992.

In its interim report, the standing committee observed that the Arctic College board of governors had, for some time, been operating within a policy vacuum. While the Arctic College Act gave the Minister of Education the responsibility for determining policy respecting the operations, programs, and priorities of the college, little direction had been provided to the board from Cabinet. As a result, the Arctic College board has operated with a degree of autonomy that was not entirely supported by statutory authority. This included activities such as the establishment of campuses without the appropriate statutory instruments, the determination of operational and program policies and the preparation of a mission statement. This concerned the Member of this committee, as it appears that Arctic College policies and priorities had evolved as responses to largely unrelated events, rather than having been tied to long-range educational planning.

The standing committee placed a priority on the need for the Minister to provide direction to the Arctic College board of governors, particularly with respect to the board's proposed strategic plan and funding allocation system. While the board had responded to the policy vacuum by attempting, on its own, to set a future direction for the development of Arctic College, it had never received a formal response from the Minister on its policy documents.

The standing committee also identified that a structure for ongoing communication between the Minister and board was urgently required, and that the Minister should indicate whether the funding allocation system proposed by the board would provide the appropriate accountability mechanism. As well, the standing committee noted that a framework for cooperative work between the Minister and the Board on independent fund raising was clearly necessary.

The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions reported to the House that, given the importance of the issues before the Government of the Northwest Territories in the delivery of education services through Arctic College, its review of the college would be extended and expanded.

Recent Developments

The standing committee continued its hearings and consultations on matters related to Arctic College. It became increasingly clear that the college was entering into a period of significant change. It was recognized by many of the parties that the college would be required to meet new challenges, with the impending divisions of the Northwest Territories, and with new regional priorities being identified. From all regions, the standing committee received the clear message that Arctic College would be expected to take a lead role, with the communities, in planning and training for the future.

On March 9, 1993, the Minister Responsible for Education, Culture and Employment Programs, the Honourable Richard Nerysoo, delivered a Minister's statement in the Legislative Assembly to announce a significant new direction for Arctic College. The Minister stated that the college would be decentralized into two separate college systems, with head offices in Iqaluit and in Fort Smith. Decentralization was scheduled to be completed by June, 1994. Further, a new model was to be developed to provide a framework for the structure of the two college systems, their boards, and their relationship to government, for legislative changes, and for agreements to be made between the two institutions.

The Minister also announced in the House on that the newly- consolidated Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs had started work on the development of a new strategic plan which would shape the direction of the department over the next ten to 15 years. Consultation with the various groups involved in the delivery of education in the Northwest Territories was to begin over the summer months, with a draft plan to be prepared for review by the Legislative Assembly during the fall 1993 session.

Early March 1993, the Minister publicly announced his intention to explore options for the integration of the Northwest Territories Science Institute with Arctic College.

Recent developments point to the evolving nature of planning for the post-secondary and adult education needs of the Northwest Territories. There have been significant changes to the college during the review period. However, the standing committee feels there are still areas of concern. Certain observations and recommendations should be made concerning the proposed plans for Arctic College in its role in the future of the Northwest Territories.

I would now like to turn it over to Brian Lewis to continue, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Observations and Recommendations.

Plans For Arctic College Development

Creation Of Two Colleges

The Standing Committee fully supports the proposal to establish two separate college systems, with head offices in the east and in the west. During their travel, Members of the committee consistently received expressions of support for division, even prior to the official announcement by the Minister. Individuals in the eastern Northwest Territories clearly identified a focus on training for the implementation of Nunavut as the highest post-secondary educational priority of the region. In the west, concerns have been expressed that the training needs associated with the implementation of land claim agreements have not been fully met within the current Arctic College framework. With division and a more clearly identified focus within each region, the specific needs of each region may be met.

In the view of the standing committee, the division of Arctic College must be a priority of the Minister. Members were assured that the new structure would be fully implemented by July, 1994.

Clearly, legislation to establish the new system must be introduced in the Legislative Assembly quickly, to allow full analysis and public debate on the proposal. Now, this committee recommends...

I need guidance from you, Mr. Chairman, before I proceed with the recommendation. Do you wish me to carry through the report including recommendations as put in the report and go back to motions afterwards, or do I do the motions now?

Mr. Chairman, the issue is that these are the recommendations of the standing committee. It is the printed version of those recommendations we have in front of us. In the previous report, I went through that as a report of the standing committee. Now, we are in committee of the whole. It would be my preference to go back to motions to deal with those in committee of the whole.

The committee recommends, Mr. Chairman, that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment proceed on a priority basis with the introduction of legislation to implement the establishment of two colleges for the Northwest Territories.

Organizational Structure

The standing committee also gave consideration to the current organizational framework for Arctic College, and the proposals for the structure of the proposed two-college system. Although operational problems exist, it is the standing committee's opinion that the current structure, consisting of a head office, regional campuses and community learning centres, is appropriate. The committee was informed that the Minister proposes to retain the current structure following the college split, and the committee supports this plan.

Strategic Planning

The Minister indicated, in his March 9, 1993, Minister's statement in the House that work had begun toward the development of a departmental strategic plan for Education, Culture and Employment Programs. Following consultation with interested groups over the summer, a draft plan was to be prepared for review in the Assembly in the fall of 1993. The Minister tabled a discussion paper, Towards a Strategy to 2010 -- Tabled Document 33-12(4) -- on November 30, 1993.

The standing committee questioned the Minister in September, 1993, as to his progress in this area. Members were concerned that very little concrete planning appeared to have been completed, notwithstanding that the tabling of the plan was anticipated in approximately two months. Although the Minister had announced the project in March 1993, the issue had been raised much earlier. In September 1992, the Standing Committee on Finance recommended in its Report on the Review of the Main Estimates, that a departmental education strategy be completed by October, 1993. This committee feels that, after a full year, much more tangible progress should have been apparent.

Long-Range Planning For Colleges

Throughout the standing committee's review, it became clear that Arctic College was functioning within constraints resulting from the lack of long-range planning by the Department of Education. As noted in the committee's interim report, the Arctic College board attempted to fill this policy "vacuum" through the development of a college strategic plan. However, by September 1993, the board had not received a formal response by the Minister, setting out which aspects of the plan, if any, were acceptable. The standing committee emphasized the importance of this response and was informed by the Minister and his officials in September, 1993, that the plan had been reviewed by the department. The department advised that the plan is considered to be conceptually sound, but that it needs further work in developing a framework so that it more directly relates to planning for physical infrastructure and operational funding.

The standing committee wishes to support the work that has begun on this issue. The standing committee continues to hold the view that strategic planning must be geared towards the needs of each of the colleges. This is important if each college is to fulfil the role that is clearly expected of them.

Recommendation 2

Therefore, this committee recommends that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment table in the Legislative Assembly, a draft strategic plan for each of the proposed colleges prior to the introduction of the legislation to establish the new college systems.

Mr. Dent, I believe, is going to continue with the report, Mr. Chairman.