Thank you, Mr. Chairman. During the Ministerial Forum on Student Financial Assistance, student support to which the Member refers was highlighted as one that was lacking. People across the north said we needed to find some way to better support students. The department is working to develop a program, which will see much improved support to students, beginning before students leave the Northwest Territories, with contact through the regional offices and followup once students are on campus down south. We have a number of locations down south where we have NWT Student Associations. We have managed to work with the private sector at places like the University of Alberta where a significant number of northern students attend to put in place a resident counsellor available on campus in the city to work with NWT residents. It is very difficult for us to identify one university because we have students all across Canada, depending in what area their interest lies and what university they see as best serving that interest. It would be very difficult for us to identify one over another. Right now, we probably have more students going to the University of Alberta than any other university in southern Canada, but I expect that students from the Keewatin will have typical ties to Manitoba, students from the Baffin will probably be more often headed to Ottawa or Montreal. When you divide it up, it is difficult to say we are going to select one college, because you would increase the costs significantly for some students and make it more difficult for them to get home at Christmas or in the summertime.

I think the Member is right. We have to find a better way to support students. That was identified to us very clearly in the ministerial forum and it is something that the department is committed to starting from the moment students apply. In other words, we identify students who will be heading out and have our regional offices work with them before they leave and follow up after they are on campus. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.