Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Finally, the Minister raises the issue of student financial assistance and the increasingly crushing debt load that students have to bear in getting an education. Could the Minister indicate the strategy that is in place other than calling on the federal government to pay its fair share? Is there something else or is that the only approach being taken? Thank you.
Debates of Oct. 9th, 1997
Topics
Supplementary To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1500
Supplementary To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1500
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Dent.
Further Return To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1500
Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members will know, I have appointed a ministerial forum to consult with residents of the Northwest Territories and report back to me with recommendations for redesigning the Student Financial Assistance Program. Our program right now is the most generous in Canada. It means that our students typically, have a lower debt load than students in other jurisdictions upon graduation.
The federal government needs to recognize that we have taken the position that we are willing to put more money into student financial assistance and one of the reasons we have withdrawn from the Canada Student Loan Program is so we could, in fact, treat our students differently. If the federal government is going to contribute to decreasing student debt load across Canada, they have a commensurate obligation to recognize the contribution this government is currently making to keep student debt loads down and to compensate us if they are going to also do so in other provinces. The major thrust is that we go after the federal government. I cannot speak to what the redesigned student financial assistance program might look like because I will be coming back to this House with suggestions after I get the results from the ministerial forum, probably in early November. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.
Supplementary To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister also elaborate on his one phrase about the transitions for youth from education to work? What exactly is being looked at in that area? That is another critical area for us. Thank you.
Supplementary To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
Further Return To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this refers to the problem that we have often paraphrased as no experience and therefore, no job. Too often young people just coming out of school or college are in a situation where they do not have any experience, and therefore, employers are reluctant to take them on. A clear example that this government has undertaken recently was the Northern Employment Strategy, wherein we offered the program that evolved, a support for transition from school to work by subsidizing wages for students and young people. Similar types of initiatives are being discussed around the ministerial table. We are looking at areas in which we can make recommendations to the federal government to participate in programs like this. The federal government does, by the way, have a similar program, but we are looking at ways to expand that sort of program and to share examples of best practices that will work in other jurisdictions across Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further Return To Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Question 640-13(4): Activities Of The Council Of Ministers Of Education
Item 6: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. It is in regard to pay equity. A number of my constituents have asked me to put the question, is when will the cheques be in the mail and how soon will they be receiving them?
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd. Two questions.
Return To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
John Todd Keewatin Central
Well, Mr. Speaker, I would like the cheques to be in the mail. I have said that consistently. I would like to reach an arrangement on the pay equity. But I have said consistently that pay equity has to be an affordable issue. We are in sensitive negotiations right now or will be in the not too distant future with the UNW to try to reach some resolve on that very issue. Thank you.
Return To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
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David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A question of timing, where it is October now, and I am just wondering if the cheques will be received before Donny Days, which I believe is about three months away? Is there a possibility that we are looking at that time lag or is it three months away? Will there be anything in the Christmas stockings this year or do we have to wait until next year?
Supplementary To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Todd.
Further Return To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
John Todd Keewatin Central
I understand that this has been a long, drawn out issue, by previous governments and this one. There is a genuine attempt here to try to reach an arrangement in a partnership with the UNW. Now, I am going to tell you, and I am going to make a speech about it on Tuesday or Wednesday. I do not think anybody in this House wants this governments to go out there laying off 300 and 400 employees. We have to ensure that the affordability issue is clear, front and centre when we get to the negotiating table because there is no breathing space in our fiscal framework. Yes, we have balanced the budget. Yes, we maybe have a $9 or $12 million surplus. That is one percent of our total budget. That could go in one or two days. So I think everybody has to be aware that while we are all relieved that the budget is balanced, we can get on to doing some other productive work, besides not being as compassionate as we would like.
We have to negotiate this arrangement under, what I call, the fiscal umbrella that we are all living in, to ensure that, one, it is affordable, and two, we do not have any more massive layoffs of employees because it will have to come from somewhere.
I am not prepared to borrow any money and do not have the legislative mandate to do so. Therefore, if there is not a negotiated arrangement reached; we, fundamentally, will have to address what other steps we are going to have to take. It will mean looking at programs and looking at employees.
Further Return To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Supplementary To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will ask the question again. What type of time frame are we looking at for the individuals that will be receiving funds through the pay equity court decision? What time can my constituency make plans that the cheque is in the mail? Can we do certain things before Christmas?
Supplementary To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Mr. Todd.
Further Return To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1501
John Todd Keewatin Central
Look, I can understand my honourable colleague's desire to look for a quick and timely solution. It is simply not there right now. I cannot guarantee when it is going to occur. What I can guarantee him is an honest and genuine effort to reach a negotiated position that this government and this legislature can approve and can afford. When it is going to happen, Mr. Speaker, really depends on the compromises that have to be reached through negotiations with the two parties. Thank you.
Further Return To Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Question 641-13(4): Pay Equity Dispute
Item 6: Oral Questions
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The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Thank you. Oral questions, Mr. Picco.
Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Item 6: Oral Questions
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Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in return to oral question on the marketing of the Aurora Fund, I received the investment guidelines which are established, but nothing on the marketing. Thus, my question right now, again, how is the Aurora Fund marketed in the Northwest Territories? Are there ads appearing in papers? Do we have commercials on televisions? On local broadcasts? How do people find out about this fund? Thank you.
Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1502
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.
Return To Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1502
John Todd Keewatin Central
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I have actually said earlier today and I will say again, I have offered a full briefing to my colleagues in the House with respect to the Aurora Fund, and I think when we do that full briefing, we can give them the details of how we are marking in it, how it functions and the rules and regulations which it is under. I would prefer if my honourable colleague would bear with me, as he frequently does, and put his name forward for the full briefing. I am sure we will at the end of the day be able to answer all these problems, enlighten him on the roaring success of the Aurora Fund and answer his question in relationship to marketing.
Return To Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1502
The Speaker Samuel Gargan
Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.
Supplementary To Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Question 642-13(4): Aurora Fund Marketing
Item 6: Oral Questions
Page 1502
Edward Picco Iqaluit
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am sure that the Aurora Fund is very successful and has raised $25 million. We are going to go back out to the public. That is not my concern. The briefing is great, but I will get this information in the briefing. But I do not appear nationally, internationally or even territorially on the news media and have advertisement placed. I will not be able to promote it that well. What I am asking is what are the promotion tools that this government is using to market the fund? That is a simple question. Are we advertising? I do not see advertising appear. How do people in Iqaluit, Clyde River, Lutselk'e, how do we find out about this fund? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.