Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand the program the honourable Member is referring to is a federally funded program, the University and College Preparation Entrance Program. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a federally funded program, but it is administered by this government. Will the Minister commit to examining the issue of readdressing the way it is done now, and taking appropriate steps to involve all aboriginal people in preparing them for post-secondary education? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will certainly undertake to look at the program, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister spoke earlier of looking down the road at something like this. The fact is we need to build this road. Can the Minister give us an idea as to how long this will take to start preparing this and put this into place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, I have no idea how long this might take, but I will get back to the Member on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is also for the Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Speaker, I have concerns regarding the flexibility of the Student Financial Assistance Program. I have raised this question in this House previously, and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, when there is an emergency or crisis that occurs and students have to go home, there is no real mechanism to deal with emergency or compassionate travel, and students are penalized if they decide they have to go home for a funeral or other emergency.

I would like to ask the Minister what his department is doing to redesign this program to make it more flexible to allow the staff to deal with extreme circumstances students may find themselves in.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again I have to make a commitment to the Member to look at this. The student financial assistance redesign is a result of a lot of consultation with individuals, aboriginal groups, students and so forth. The design went through a process where it was initiated through a Ministerial Forum on Student Financial Assistance. Following that, there were consultations. Following that, there was discussion with the standing committee of the social envelope, and the Government Operations Committee of the previous Assembly. The design came forward from all of that, and it seems to be the design that was most acceptable to the majority of the people. That is what has been put forward.

I will have to get back to the Member on his question. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Again, on the subject of flexibility to the Student Financial Assistance Program, will the Minister tell us of the consequences under the proposed redesign if a student is forced to withdraw from their studies due to illness or a death in the immediate family? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have the answer here. I will have to get back to the Member on that.

The way the system currently works, if the person has to leave a program or fails a program, there is a one term grace period. After the second term failure, then that particular term must be repaid. That is my knowledge of the way the system currently works, Mr. Krutko. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand the need for control to ensure there is no abuse of the Student Financial Assistance Program. However, Mr. Speaker, a government without compassion is called a bureaucracy. I would like to ask the Minister to make a commitment to examine the proposal to redesign the Student Financial Assistance Program to give our staff the ability and leeway to make compassionate decisions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, there is a grace period for anyone failing a term. There is only a requirement for repayment if they fail a second term. In my mind, that is the method by which a student can withdraw from the program. I am not sure about the other areas the Member asked about, but I will get back to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have to realize that this is a fact of life living in the Northwest Territories; a lot of our students attend institutions in the south. We should take into account that special circumstances occur, and we should allow for these circumstances. Will the Minister take this into account, realizing we do not want to see students have to fail simply because of a death in the family? Will the Minister seriously look at this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.