In the Legislative Assembly on July 28th, 1999. See this topic in context.

Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 673

Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. It is in relation to his statement today about supporting students attending post-secondary programs. Mr. Speaker, I notice that in the area of increasing the level of support available to each student of student financial assistance dollar wise, the department is working on the details and hopes that changes can be made for the 2000 school year. Mr. Speaker, I was at a conference in the Metis Nation annual assembly of September of last year where the then Minister of Education talked about a master plan that he had which was basically finalized. They just had to draft the legislation, and we would have had more money in the hands of students for this year. I would like to know what has happened. Why has this not come forward, the increases to student financial assistance? Why has that not come forward for this year? Thank you.

Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue and the proposal that the Member talks about is once again being reviewed and some adjustments being made to it and will be brought back to Cabinet, hopefully by the August Cabinet meeting. It is fundamentally the same master plan that the former Minister of Education, Culture and Employment referred to. It is my hope that at that time, upon Cabinet review in August, we will be able to come to a consensus or an agreement on how to move forward. Thank you.

Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 673

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

July 27th, 1999

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could not quite hear what the Minister said. There was a side conversation here. But I think he said he hopes they come to their senses and approve the plan. Does that mean that legislation will be introduced in the next session if we have one in September? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the issue of census was brought up for accurate numbers with Bill 15, looking at the number of seats. However, in regard to Cabinet and our senses, we tend, I have discovered, to have our wits about us just about all the time. The hope is that I will be able to report back to this House in September should we have a session, as the Member indicated, with a clear plan of action finally as to what the steps are going to be in regard to student financial assistance. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further along in the Minister's statement he indicates that they are going to establish a Web site to improve details on student financial assistance that students need along with a chat page so students can contact each other. Mr. Speaker, when I was a student, we had a very difficult time getting information on other students from the department. We formed a students union, and we could not even get the names of other students in the same city because of privacy regulations and so forth. I understand the Premier had the same problem this year when he went to visit some students. What I am wondering is, if this problem still exists, can the Minister move to put some sort of a line on the forms that the students fill out consenting that their names and addresses can be provided for certain instances like when people are forming students unions and that type of thing? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to commend my colleague for his continued keen interest in education in all its aspects and his attention to the detail. The suggestion he made is a good one that seems to me to have merit. As he is aware, as we speak, people are listening to every word in this House in regard to the debate, the questions and answers and commitments given. I will commit

to taking a serious look at that. We have met with the students that the Member referred to in his letter when he made his Member's statement today, and we plan to have a formal response out of that in the next couple of weeks. That will be one issue that I think we hope we can address. I will commit to look at the Member's suggestion. It is a good one. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Supplementary To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another area that the Minister had spoken about was timely access to student information and increased information and communications. One way of doing these types of things, Mr. Speaker, is to have an overall student body of NWT students that could help to disseminate information and provide concerns, that type of thing, to the department. Would the Minister also commit to assisting the students to form an overall NWT students association? This would probably mean monetary as well because students come and go. When they graduate, there is nobody left to carry the ball. Would the Minister also look at this? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, once again this is an issue that has come up as a result of discussion with the students. While we are interested in working with the students on a lot of these issues, on this one in particular there are certain things we can do in regard to allowing and tying the students into our government-wide and community-wide information systems with the Web page and chat pages that I referenced in my statement.

As well, the broader issue that the Member raised about sort of a pan-territorial students union or association is an issue, once again, that I will commit to look at. I will also see if the students themselves have any idea and any sense of how that could possibly work and to see what is possible under the systems that we do have and if we can in fact resource it within existing budgets. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Question 247-13(7): Support For Post-secondary Students
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Oral questions. Mr. Henry.