Thank you. Page one of the document, clause one. Agreed?
Debates of Nov. 10th, 1998
This is page numbers 341 - 369 of the Hansard for the 13th Assembly, 6th 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
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you. Does the committee agree that Bill 11 is ready for third reading? Agreed?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you. Bill 11 is ready for third reading. As indicated by Mr. Ootes, and the committee agreed to, we will now move to Bill 10. I thank the Minister for his presentation and I am now prepared to deal with Bill 10. Does the committee agree?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you. The Minister responsible for Bill 10 introduce the bill please. Mr. Dent.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Student Financial Assistance Act, establishes a program of grants and loans to assist eligible NWT students pursuing post-secondary education. All loans issued through this program are made from a revolving fund, which has a loan limit identified in the schedule to the Student Financial Assistance Act. The present limit is set at $21 million. Without this amendment, we will exceed this limit this year with the steady application of students seeking loans.
Since the revolving student loan fund was established in 1982, the number of students requesting loans have increased annually. For example, the number of students receiving loans has grown from over 600 in 1990-91 to over 1,700 in 1997-98.
The limit for the loan fund was set at just under $1 million in 1982-83 and over $7 million for 1986-87. Since then, the limit has been increased a number of times to provide more working capital to meet the demand for loans.
With continual increases in the number of students receiving loans, the total value of loans issued continues to increase. The value of loans issued also continues to exceed the value of loans repaid, remitted and written-off each year.
The last time the loan fund limit was increased was in 1997. Bill 10 is proposing an increase in the loan fund limit from $21 million to $22 million for 1998-99 and subsequent years.
An increase in the limit now is necessary to continue to provide loans to eligible students this year and next year. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Dent. I ask the Member responsible for the Standing Committee on Social Programs, Mr. Miltenberger, if he would provide general comments from the committee?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Michael Miltenberger Thebacha
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Social Programs reviewed Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, at its meeting of November 9, 1998. The committee would like to thank the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and his officials for presenting this bill. Bill 10 is necessary because the current Student Financial Assistance Act, limits the amount available in the SFA fund to $21 million. The department will not be able to meet the student loan requirements for the next semester if the maximum available in the fund is not increased to $22 million. Mr. Chairman, the standing committee has no difficulty with Bill 10. Committee members have always placed a high priority on post-secondary education. Committee members may have questions or comments on the bill as we proceed. This concludes the standing committee's comments on Bill 10, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Minister, do you wish the opportunity to bring in witnesses?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a very short bill with just one clause. I think we can proceed from where we are.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
I open the floor to any general comments on the bill by Members. Are there any general comments? Are we prepared to go clause-by-clause?
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 360
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
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The Chair Vince Steen
Thank you. On the title, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. Agreed?