This is page numbers 231 - 261 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 3rd 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 chairman.

Topics

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 259

The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Honourable Minister of Education.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 259

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The $2 million is all of the funding that's available for the entire Northwest Territories; so, yes, Yellowknife would be one of the places that the program may be offered. As to the specific locations where that type of training will be provided

this year, I do not believe that has been determined yet. As I mentioned in my response to Mr. Steen, the $2 million we have represents a reduction by two-thirds in the amount of funding that we had in the past fiscal year. We spent $6 million, between our money and the federal money, in the past year, providing this kind of program. So we are not going to be able to deliver nearly the amount of training that we did in the past year, and I doubt we will be able to meet the demand across the Northwest Territories. It's particularly frustrating for me, as Minister, to have to say that because we have all sorts of demonstrated success with this program. But I have been unable to convince the federal government -- and I have spoken to Mr. Young and Ms. Ethel Blondin-Andrew about the program and how well it has worked -- to come on board with it again. We just don't have any more money. So we will do our best to provide equity of access across the Northwest Territories, but all Members will have to recognize that the amount of money we have is insufficient to meet the demand across the Territories.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Henry.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Minister's predicament. I think we all realize we have to be able to do more with less. The Minister has identified $2 million, he's identified that it's two-thirds less than the amount we had last year. Is the Minister also telling me that it hasn't been identified where this money is going, which campuses and the amounts, at this stage?

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, as far as I'm aware, the locations for delivery of the programs have not been finalized, that is correct. The current Investing in People program continues on through August of this year, so we have some time in which to get this program going. The cost-shared program with the federal government did not start until September 1994, so for the full two years to take place, some of that funding is ongoing through August of this year.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Henry.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Seamus Henry Yellowknife South

Could then Minister identify how much money has been allocated for academic studies this year and if there have been reductions to amounts? I'm talking about postsecondary studies to help people with pre-employment such as trades.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, the colleges' contribution has been reduced; which means that there may be some impact on some programs within the college. I can't speak specifically as to whether that might involve the program that the Member refers to. However, in our reinvestment opportunities that we show in the budget, we have put in $300,000 for the building and learning strategy, for instance, which is a trades-based training program. We have identified $100,000 to assist the college to provide a pre-engineering/technology pilot program. We have identified $300,000 for mining training. We have identified $200,000 for a labour force plan to help ensure that our programming is being delivered in the proper areas and achieving the goals that we want to see it achieve.

I believe that we have demonstrated the commitment to adult training. Unfortunately, there has had to be some reduction in the base funding to the colleges. It's a simple matter of the target for the department being reduced.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

The Chair John Ningark

Thank you. Mr. Erasmus.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the chairman has been very, very lenient in allowing the discussion and the questions which, from my understanding, are supposed to be of a general nature. I believe that a lot of this could come later when we get into the program part. Unless we're going to go through a little bit of this today, clause by clause, I would suggest that we report progress and do clause by clause full speed ahead tomorrow.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 260

The Chair John Ningark

Mr. Erasmus, are you making a motion?

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Yes.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair John Ningark

There is a motion on the floor to report progress and the motion is not debatable. All those in favour of the motion? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

--- Carried

I will rise and report progress. I would like to thank the Minister and the witnesses for appearing before the committee. Thank you.

Bill 11: Appropriation Act, 1996-97
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The House will come back to order. Item 21, report of Committee of the Whole. Mr. Ningark.

Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 260

John Ningark Natilikmiot

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you committee has been considering Bill 11 and would like to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 260

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Seconder for the motion. Mr. Steen. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

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An Hon. Member

Question.

Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole
Item 21: Report Of Committee Of The Whole

Page 260

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

--- Carried

Item 22, third reading of bills. Item 23, orders of the day. Mr. Clerk.

Item 23: Orders Of The Day
Item 23: Orders Of The Day

May 7th, 1996

Page 260

Clerk Of The House Mr. David Hamilton

Mr. Speaker, there are meetings for tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, at 10:00

a.m. of the Standing Committee on Resource Management, and at 12:00 p.m. of the Nunavut Caucus.

Orders of the day for Wednesday, May 8, 1996:

1. Prayer

2. Ministers' Statements

3. Members' Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

6. Oral Questions

7. Written Questions

8. Returns to Written Questions

9. Replies to Opening Address

10. Replies to Budget Address

11. Petitions

12. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

13. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

14. Tabling of Documents

15. Notices of Motion

16. Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills

17. Motions

18. First Reading of Bills

- Bill 13, Loan Authorization Act, 1996-97

19. Second Reading of Bills

20. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills

and Other Matters

- Bill 11, Appropriation Act, 1996-97

- Committee Report 1-13(3), Standing Committee on

Government Operations Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates

- Committee Report 2-13(3), Standing Committee on Infrastructure Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates

- Committee Report 3-13(3), Standing Committee on Resource Management and Development Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates

- Committee Report 4-13(3), Standing Committee on Social Programs Report on the Review of the 1996-97 Main Estimates

21. Report of Committee of the Whole

22. Third Reading of Bills

23. Orders of the Day

Item 23: Orders Of The Day
Item 23: Orders Of The Day

Page 261

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, May 8, 1996, at 1:30 p.m.

--- ADJOURNMENT