Thank you, Mr. Chairman, that we continue with Bill 8, Appropriation Act and consider the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

I do, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. I am pleased to present the main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for 1997-98, which total nearly $286 million. The territorial government has three main priorities: to establish two new viable Territories by April 1, 1999; to improve economic conditions and to address social conditions. Our main estimates for 1997-98, as well as the department's long-term strategic objectives, support these key priorities.

I want to begin by discussing early childhood programs. We are striving to build a comprehensive early childhood learning system. Quality early intervention programs are essential for helping children develop the skills that will help them succeed in school and the community and later on in the workplace.

During the past year, the department has been co-operating with the Department of Health and Social Services to develop an early intervention policy framework. We have also been working on a funding system which will provide ongoing support for communities to offer comprehensive, integrated early intervention services for children "at risk" and their families.

I will be pleased to present to the Standing Committee on Social Programs, at its convenience, detailed information about the Healthy Children Initiative and plans for its implementation. The main estimates for 1997-98 include $3 million to be added to the funding already allocated for community-based early intervention projects to support this initiative.

Improving student achievement will also improve social conditions, as more northerners become prepared for post-secondary education, the job market and for everyday life. Local access to kindergarten to grade 12 programs is one of the critical components of improving student achievement. With the direction of communities and education bodies, the department plans to continue to extend grades so more communities will be offering grade 10, 11 and 12 programs. In 1997-98, school programs from kindergarten to grade 12 will be offered in 34 communities. The main estimates identify $300,000 for modifications to schools in small communities to accommodate grade extensions.

To address the facilities needed to support the delivery of school programs, the department will be planning, designing and constructing a new school in Pond Inlet, as well as renovating a number of school facilities. Classrooms will be added to schools in Paulatuk, Arctic Bay, Pangnirtung, Baker Lake, Taloyoak and Gjoa Haven to accommodate growing enrolments.

To improve student achievement, we need to know how students are doing in key subject areas and the kind of support they need to improve their skills and knowledge. The department is continuing to participate in the National School Achievement Indicators Program, which assesses students in the areas of math, reading and writing and science and soon will address their technological skills. As you know, the department recently received preliminary information on last year's science assessment. After we receive a detailed report in April, we will work with divisional education councils, schools, students and parents to develop a strategy to improve student achievement in science.

Mr. Chairman, about 60 percent of the department's money is spent on the school system. To meet our budget targets, contributions for schools must be adjusted. In 1997-98 total school contributions will continue to be capped, although student enrolment is expected to continue growing at about three to five percent per year as it has over the past several years. As a result, the amount of funding per student is being decreased. The department is working with education bodies to adjust the formula to better reflect fiscal reality while dealing with program requirements to the best extent possible.

More adults are returning to the public college system or schools to complete their secondary schooling and more are taking post-secondary education and employment skills training. This trend supports the government's priority of establishing two new viable Territories because it prepares northerners for the economic opportunities that both new Territories will offer. To enhance adult education, this year the department will be supporting capital projects to start construction of community learning centres in four communities and complete centres in two others.

Northern participation in the labour market will be enhanced this year through departmental initiatives to provide pre-employment training and support for workplace-based education. Specialized mine training and training for the construction industry are examples of initiatives that will continue this year. Funding for a one-year trial delivery of an engineering pre-technology program was provided to Aurora College in 1996-97. The department is currently negotiating with the college and expects that the program will continue during the coming year.

The Standing Committee on Social Programs has recommended that additional funding be added to adult education if the government runs a surplus in the next fiscal year. I am pleased the committee places such importance on adult basic education. The department will soon release a report on adult basic education in the NWT which will identify the continuing need for this service and how it can be sustained through partnerships between the territorial government and other funding sources. I will consult with my Cabinet colleagues on this issue and will be prepared to discuss it in more detail once the report is finished. I must point out that we are in much the same situation with the colleges that we are with the schools. The colleges account for almost $30 million of the department's expenditures. As a result, to meet budget targets, the colleges will also be affected. The main estimates I am presenting today include a reduction of more than $1 million in contributions to the colleges. Mr. Chairman, the colleges have tried to absorb this cut through reductions in support staff, but cannot accommodate it all in this way. As a result, some programs will be affected.

In 1996-97, the NWT Student Financial Assistance Program provided support to about two thousand post-secondary students. The demand for financial support for students to attend post-secondary institutions is expected to increase, but probably not at such a high rate as in the past. The department has reviewed this program and student financial assistance programs across Canada. I intend to provide you with a paper by the end of this session to stimulate discussion about how to ensure students continue to have access to post-secondary education and training programs. The discussion paper will suggest we look at such areas as student eligibility, the role of the family and community in assisting students, the relationship between student performance and on-going assistance, and co-ordination of the program with other training support programs, among other things.

Career development programs and services are critical to individual and community development in the north. Regional career centres work with partner organizations including businesses, schools, colleges and community organizations to provide career information and counselling services. To improve access and quality of counselling services, particularly in smaller communities, the department has developed a career counselling training program which will be delivered across the Northwest Territories this year.

To establish a broad framework for its programs and services and to ensure effective investment in priority areas, the department has prepared a labour force development plan. This plan will focus department expenditures on program and strategic initiatives in basic education, career services, skills development, employment services, income support and labour market information. The importance of joint ventures will be highlighted and responsibilities clarified between government and major labour market partners. The plan will also increase co-ordination of labour force programs and services through the development and support of effective labour market information systems.

Communities want more control over their social agendas and many see the design, delivery and management of the income support program as a first step. Last fall, more than 25 communities indicated they were interested in delivering income support. We continue to negotiate with these communities and during 1997-98, the department will encourage and support communities which opt to take over the delivery of this program.

One income support program has been the topic of much debate in the past few months. I am referring, of course, to the seniors' fuel subsidy. The department originally moved to eliminate the subsidy for two reasons. First, to reach our budget target. Second, in the past the subsidy was given to all home owners over the age of 60, whether or not the home owner was in financial need. I have reviewed the recommendation made by the Standing Committee on Social Programs regarding the seniors' fuel subsidy. There are elements of the recommendation that are workable, while other elements will be difficult to accommodate within our budget target. Following extensive discussions with Members of the Standing Committee and consultation with the Seniors' Advisory Council, I am proposing to continue the seniors' fuel subsidy.

-- Applause

However, to ensure that the program is equitable and fiscally sustainable, some changes must be made. While the details still need to be worked out in consultation with the Seniors' Advisory Council and the standing committee, we will propose a program in which people will receive the subsidy if they own their own home, are at least 60 years of age, live in the Northwest Territories and meet the household income test. Following approval of our budget, work will continue to determine an appropriate source of funds and an appropriate program design. Seniors who need assistance to heat their homes will receive it.

Communities have told us they want to determine the goals and priorities of culture, language and heritage programs. In response, and in consultation with communities, the department is changing the delivery of these important programs, and is consulting with language communities to develop plans to reshape and simplify language programs and services.

In 1997/98, the department will complete a reorganization of the Language Bureau. Three administrative and support positions will be eliminated. The management of language development and interpreter/translator certification will be transferred to the Culture and Heritage Division. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to note the standing committee supports the department's initiative to transfer the responsibility for the development and promotion of aboriginal languages to the language communities.

I have directed the department to review the standing committee's recommendation regarding the Language Bureau and provision of interpreter/translator services. I am prepared to look at the recommendation and prepare a plan for language services, using it if it makes economic and functional sense. However, if we are to proceed with transferring responsibility to the language communities, this must be addressed as quickly as possible. I will present a plan to my Cabinet colleagues in the next couple of weeks.

Other culture and heritage initiatives planned for 1997/98 include the establishment of an Arts Trust Fund to increase the level of support that can be provided to artists in the NWT and the establishment of new archaeological permitting procedures that will recognize the knowledge, skills and abilities of aboriginal people in recognizing and documenting archaeological sites.

Public access to information networks is also critical for the future. By integrating new communications technologies into teaching and learning, we will help NWT residents participate fully in the age of networked knowledge. Improved use of information technology can help northerners prepare for employment in the two new Territories. The information highway also holds a great deal of potential for providing employment to northerners, thus improving economic conditions. The department is co-operating with other GNWT departments and private sector organizations to develop a high-speed communications network linking all communities to each other and to the world-wide information highway.

In 1997/98, the department will continue to work closely with public colleges, divisional education councils and district education authorities, to provide training in the use of information technology, to upgrade networks in educational institutions and to develop and deliver enhanced educational programs and services. One million in capital funds has been set aside in these main estimates for the development of information technology infrastructure.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my opening remarks. I will be pleased to answer any of your questions and discuss the main estimates in more detail.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Language Bureau

There are two issues of concern in addressing the Language Bureau. The first concern has to do with the privatization of interpreter/translator services. The second deals with the transfer of funding for language programming and development to language communities.

The department intends to transfer the funding associated with interpreter/translator services to the user departments. Departments will then be free to obtain these services from the private sector. The Minister has indicated there are already a number of contractors providing interpreter/translator services for the Language Bureau. He expressed confidence that the level of service would not decline. Many eastern Members have raised a concern about the privatization of interpreter/translator services. We believe that this issue is one which may need a different solution in Nunavut than in the western territory. In the west, Members seem more comfortable with the use of contract interpreter/translators. The biggest issue seems to be the need for standards and a registry of interpreter/translators to ensure the quality of the service. With seven different aboriginal languages in use in the west, a contract approach may be appropriate. However, in Nunavut, there are language issues relating to the use of Inuktitut in the post-division government. There is also only one aboriginal language used with any frequency and it is used by a large percentage of the population.

The Minister has indicated there are no cost implications associated with the privatization. Therefore, we believe there is time to develop a plan which will address the differing concerns.

Recommendation 7

The Standing Committee on Social Programs recommends that the Minister prepare a plan for interpreter/translator services which addresses the differing situations in the eastern and western NWT and provide that plan to the committee as part of the department's division plan in May 1997.

The transfer of funding to language communities has been raised by advocates for aboriginal languages and the Languages Commissioner in the past. This transfer places the responsibility for the development and promotion of aboriginal languages with the actual language communities themselves. The transfer is consistent with community empowerment and we are prepared to support this initiative.

Student Financial Assistance

In the area of student financial assistance, the committee has been asking for the report on potential changes for the past year. In the business plan, there is an indication that there will be program changes to save dollars. The Minister indicated that the department intends to make two short-term changes to the program for the coming fiscal year. The Minister has indicated that the two changes are:

1) limiting travel assistance to tickets valued at the equivalent of two weeks advance booking to the closest northern college campus or the nearest "point of departure"; and

2) suspending student financial assistance for a three-year period for students who are unsuccessful in meeting the minimum requirement of successful completion of 60 percent of a full post-secondary course load.

The Minister identified the specific changes to the committee in a letter dated February 10, 1997. We have not had the opportunity to discuss these changes in detail with the Minister, although his department did provide some background information to help us understand the existing provisions late last week.

We are generally supportive of the limitations on travel. However, we have two concerns. First, there are some cases where a student will pursue a course of study which is not available either at a northern college or in an educational institution in the student's point of departure. We believe there should be a provision to support student travel, when travel past the point of departure is beyond the student's control.

The committee does not support the second proposed change: the suspension of student financial assistance for a three-year period. We find this change to be far more punitive than the current arrangements. While we want to encourage all students on assistance to do their best, there are also a number of circumstances which could cause someone to have difficulty in a particular semester. Based on the information we received from the department, we also felt the change was inconsistent with the department's previous recognition that students might need a second chance to adapt to post-secondary schooling and some probationary options should be available.

The proposed change raised concerns for us including the following: - There should be a probationary period to support those who need an extra hand to adapt to the demands of post-secondary schooling.

- The change does not seem to recognize the difference between someone who just missed passing and someone who did very poorly on all their courses.

- There should be a recognition that mature students may only have a course load of 60 percent of full load in the first year. There is no flexibility for them to miss even one course as they adapt to being at school.

More comprehensive long-term changes will be proposed through a discussion paper to be released in February 1997.

We are looking forward to the discussion paper the Minister intends to table in February. We hope the Minister is considering the input and advice of a broad range of northern individuals in the development of that discussion paper. This will ensure that issues key to one segment of the population are not overlooked in drafting the paper. We also hope the Minister has advised all students receiving student financial assistance that he will be proposing changes in the near future. The committee believes consultation on these changes with the people most affected, the students, is essential.

We will be looking for a change in direction when we review the report, one which focuses on results. Student financial assistance is a major investment of this government and, although we know how much money we put in and the number of people who start their programs, we have no idea what the success rate is in terms of graduation. We also do not know how many people return to the territories after graduating. We need to be more proactive in ensuring the NWT benefits from the dollars spent supporting post-secondary education. We need to consider options like a longer period for remission, lengthening the time required to earn the grant, and basing forgiveness on success in a post-secondary program. We need to encourage students to return to the NWT once they finish their degrees and diplomas. These people work hard for their education, so loan remission may not be enough. We need to find opportunities, both within governments and in the private sector, to actively recruit these graduates and bring them back to meaningful work in the north.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask my colleague from Inuvik to continue reading the report, in hopefully a more coherent manner than I did.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Colleges

The main estimates do not include a list of active positions for the colleges. This information would be a useful addition. We understand the colleges have the position numbers and they could be provided if a request was made. This information is essential for the committee and Members in tracking the overall impact of budget reductions to the colleges.

Labour Force Development Plan

The department has developed a draft Labour Force Development Plan. We think this plan is crucial. With no northern employment strategy, we spend millions of dollars but the focus is on numbers through the system, not on results. We hope the plan reflects a more proactive approach to working with the people we are developing, such as the students we support through student financial assistance. We are spending these dollars but not capitalizing on the product.

The department provided a briefing on the Labour Force Development Plan. While this provides a good base, it should be an integral part of the Northern Employment Strategy and closely linked to the Affirmative Action Policy. These vital connections to the overall strategy are not clear yet and must be established.

Tracking Results

We are concerned about how well education is able to measure the results of the dollars spent on education and training. The government seems to track statistics rather than results. There has to be a better way to determine if we are getting value for the money spent. Are people receiving a good education? What is the value of graduating from our system? How many people are graduating? What is happening when people attend post-secondary institutions? What is the connection between our graduates and their success in post-secondary education?

There should be a component of the Labour Force Development Strategy which emphasizes results. If we do not have benchmarks and track results, how will we know whether the programs are being effective? How will we know what efforts produce the best results for the people of the NWT?

Adult Education

Members still remain concerned about the level of funding for adult education. Education levels among aboriginal adults are very low. Until we can address this, we will not break the cycle of dependence, hopelessness and social problems. We recognize that there is only a certain amount of funding available to the department and the Minister has achieved what he believes is the best balance between different program areas.

The government is currently projecting a small surplus for 1997/98. By late July, the Minister of Finance should have a good idea of whether the departments will be on target. The committee would like to recommend that, if the government is on target by the end of the summer, some new funding be added to support adult education. We hope this investment will help reduce the pressure on other government programs.

Recommendation 8

The standing committee recommends that additional funding be added to adult education in September if the government variance reports at that time indicate the government will achieve a balanced budget for '1997/98.

Regional Librarians

The Minister proposed the elimination of two regional librarians. These two positions currently fill training and ordering functions for the whole territory. We were concerned with how these functions would be carried out and who would provide support to the many community libraries that these two librarians serve. The Minister has provided information demonstrating that existing staff will be able to handle the functions currently being carried out by the two librarians.

FAS/FAE

We raised the issue of FAS/FAE education and training for front line workers in the schools and in income support. The committee recognizes that there is some basic training in special needs offered to the teacher education program students and through Bachelor of Education programs. However, given the magnitude of the problem in the north, we think more needs to be done. With the $4.5 million in early intervention funding available, there is a perfect opportunity for the department to work with the FAS/FAE Strategy group to develop and deliver educational materials to those who are working with our children. This focused use of the money on an identified need would certainly be appropriate.

Recommendation 9

The Standing Committee recommends that early childhood intervention funding be allocated for the development of an education/training module on FAS/FAE, in co-operation with the FAS/FAE Strategy group.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to hand it back to the chairman of our Committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Enuaraq. I would like to ask the Minister if he would like to bring in witnesses.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Is committee agreed the Minister may bring in witnesses?

I would like to ask the Sergeant-at-Arms if he could bring in the witnesses.

I would like to ask the Honourable Charles Dent, Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment, if he would like to introduce his witnesses?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on my left I have Mr. Mark Cleveland, who is the assistant deputy minister of culture and careers. On my right is Mr. Paul Devitt, who is the director of finance and administration for the department.