This is page numbers 275 - 301 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was federal.

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Supplementary To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Further Return To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, in terms of the current situation, the staff housing policy incorporates principles approved at the June 12, 1992 board meeting. It also attempts to keep the policy as brief and simple as possible. The policy differs significantly from the way the Government of the Northwest Territories is currently administering staff housing. However, it has the same general thrust as the GNWT, which moves towards transferring more of the actual cost for staff accommodation to employees. The Northwest Territories Power Corporation is required to consult with the Union of Northern Workers when initiating new policies that affect employees' terms and conditions of employment. The consultation occurred, with meetings held February 18, 1993, and March 31, 1993, and the policy was implemented September 1, 1993. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Supplementary To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

Fred Koe Inuvik

Thank you for that information. In what time frame, then, is the Power Corporation working to get rid of all its staff housing?

Supplementary To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

The Speaker

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Supplementary To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

Nellie Cournoyea Nunakput

Madam Speaker, I don't know the answer so I will have to take that as notice.

Supplementary To Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Question 172-12(5): Power Corporation Staff Housing Policy
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, and this is in regard to the education post-secondary incentive, consolidated and emergency loans. In my statement today, I made known to this House my concern about this policy and how it does not really address the whole policy. This policy is part of the government initiative to have 50 per cent of teachers in the north be northern aboriginal by the year 2000. This initiative is only helping the students in Arctic College taking the TEP program, no other students, and is not offered to students who are at university, specifically, the University of Saskatchewan, which is affiliated with the TEP program. My concern is if the Minister of this department is looking to see if this policy is beneficial to university students as well as Arctic College students. Mahsi.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just so that we are not confused, the CTEP itself is a community-based training program that is associated with universities, so it is a university program with the exception of the initial two years as being the certification aspect. What we have been trying to do in the initiative of the teacher training program is to ensure that we encourage those students who are living in communities to be part of the program. As such, our position to date has been to fund those who are participating in the program, specifically in our communities or in our northern communities in particular.

Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There are students who want to be teachers, as well, that have taken their own initiative, even taken their families to southern institutions, specifically, the University of Saskatchewan, and they take the hardships along with it. It is not very pleasant going to university in the south on limited resources. What you are doing here with the community-based teacher education program is giving additional money above and beyond what students have been normally getting to people who are from the community to try to encourage them to go back to school, but there are people who have taken that initiative on their own, and for taking the initiative on their own, they do not have the benefits that the students who we are encouraging to go back to school have. It is not fair to those students who have taken that extra effort and hardship to go to university, and you are encouraging the other ones to take it. To me, it is not fair, and to the students in the University of Saskatchewan who I am aware of, it is not fair. What I am saying is, have you looked at this policy to see if you could change the policy to allow for these students who are going to become teachers with a degree in education and who are going to come back home to the north to teach in the school system? Are you going to be able to change the policy so that they could benefit from it as the other people who are taking the CTEP? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 285

The Speaker

Thank you. May I remind Members to attempt to keep their preamble as short as possible when they are doing their supplementaries. Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think what becomes difficult is the idea of changing the initiative without considering all factors. I understand the concerns that the honourable Member has raised, however, the initiative itself was to encourage and to develop northern NWT community-based training to encourage people in the communities to become part of the teacher training program. That has been our focal point so far.

I would be cautious about the idea of extending the incentives in other institutions because it would mean that you would have to consider the students in Arctic College generally. There are other programs, and there have been criticisms of this government because we have not provided assistance to other program areas. I think that I would be very careful with the concept of providing additional financial resources to students in southern Canada because you would expand the total requirement to most students who are in educational programs.

The other issue that the honourable Member should be aware of is that a year ago, particularly for aboriginal students, we increased the total amount of dollars we were providing to those students because we increased and moved the students' financial assistance to those levels that were being provided by Indian Affairs generally across the country. There is another point that should be considered and it is that there is an additional living allowance that is normally paid and provided to students that require additional finances, particularly if they have family members to support. It all depends on the applications and the additional requirements, and we will review every application and deal with them as fairly as possible.

On the matter of providing the same incentives to students in southern Canada as compared to within our communities, I would be very careful about the idea of expanding that particular program. We are reviewing, as well, the student financial assistance program, and maybe some of the concerns the honourable Member has raised may be addressed in that particular review.

Further Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Mahsi. Thank you, Madam Speaker. My concern is for students who have decided to go to university to obtain a degree in education, specifically, the University of Saskatchewan, which has an agreement with Arctic College and the teacher education program. The students there, especially those with families and kids, need additional funding to help them go to school. That is the main point. What you are telling me is that they don't qualify for this extra funding, so if they decide to quit university and go home, then you will have that extra funding to go to TEP. Is that what the Minister is saying? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

The Speaker

Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No, I would never be in the position to discourage our students from attending university. In fact, if anything, I would try to find a way to ensure that they stayed at university. But, I would suggest to the honourable Member and Members of this House that the best way would be to try to find a change in the student financial assistance rather than encouraging or utilizing a program that was meant to encourage people in our communities to enter the teaching profession. That would be my view.

The other element that is important for us to consider is that we are moving to introduce third and fourth year programs in the NWT who are assigned to particular universities. The University of Saskatchewan program in the west and McGill University in Nunavut. It is my view that it would be best for us if we could encourage third and fourth year programming in the NWT, with the view that they would be degree students at the end of the program.

But, no, I would never discourage our students. If anything, my suggestion would be to find a solution for the specific individual and student. Then we can maybe find a solution.

Further Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

The Speaker

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Supplementary To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

Jim Antoine Nahendeh

Final supplementary, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister when will this review take place and what kind of time frame are we looking at for changes to this policy? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

The Speaker

Minister of Education, Mr. Nerysoo.

Further Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

Richard Nerysoo Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The review is ongoing. A committee has been set up in-house that is reviewing the student financial assistance program, with the view of considering possible changes. It will be part of our ongoing operational plan. We hope that we can have some of the changes completed by the fall so that we can apply them to students. In that context, there is no attempt on our part in the review to reduce any of the assistance we are providing to any of our students attending university.

Further Return To Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Question 173-12(5): Post-secondary Assistance For Teacher Training, University Vs Arctic College Students
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 286

The Speaker

Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Henry Zoe

Henry Zoe North Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in 1993, the NWT Association of Municipalities resolved to request

a fuel subsidy for home owners in the Northwest Territories. On April 20 of last year, Madam Speaker, the Minister of Public Works responded to the association stating that the issue of utility subsidies was then under review and that a recommendation would later be made to Cabinet. Could I ask the Minister the status of this particular issue? Thank you.

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister responsible for Government Services and Public Works, Mr. Morin.