Member's Statement 31-14(2): Student Financial Assistance

In the Legislative Assembly on February 25th, 2000. See this topic in context.

Member's Statement 31-14(2): Student Financial Assistance
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 73

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to address the issue of student financial assistance. Money is very clearly a critical issue, but as in most government programs, money is not the only issue. There are structural and process issues that can also be changed and improved on. I would like to address some of the specific areas that I wish to discuss further with the Minister.

There is the issue of travel benefits. Right now, students have to go to a travel agent designated by the department. As a result of this lack of choice, the service to the students is not what it should be. There is no incentive for the travel agent to provide the best options possible.

Student financial assistance is a program that should be delivered in the communities, but is centralized completely in Yellowknife. There is no ability for the student financial assistance officers to contact or get to know the students. There is minimal linkage with career development people in the regions. I am going to suggest, as I already have to the Minister, that in fact student financial assistance officers should be relocated to the communities, out of the Yellowknife office and into Fort Smith, Inuvik and possibly Hay River. The large centres that have the majority of students, so they can work closely with their career development and really know the students.

We have a double standard when we deal with our students in Aurora College in the North and students going south. Student financial assistance money goes to Aurora College, whereas down south, the students get the money. They are treated as adults. Here, in the North, we for some reason treat students differently because of some bad experiences with non-payments of funds and fees. We treat all students as less than adults. That is not acceptable.

We have to look clearly at how we deal with disabled people and students. Right now, there is no way to deal with them. There is no access for them. Students who are disabled and have special needs have to go to various departments with their hat in their hand, trying to cobble together financial arrangements to go to school.

There are restrictions on sharing of information. Student financial assistance does not share lists of students with other departments so they can work with students to find employment. While we have these internal roadblocks, our graduating students are being recruited in southern jurisdictions. Teachers, nurses...Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Member's Statement 31-14(2): Student Financial Assistance
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 73

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Thebacha is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Miltenberger, you have unanimous consent.

Member's Statement 31-14(2): Student Financial Assistance
Item 3: Members' Statements

Page 73

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, colleagues. In effect, by not having the systems in place to support our students, we often lose the benefit of the valuable investment we have made.

We also have in the Student Financial Assistance Program, an elaborate, administrative system that is set up to mainly keep track of and oversee the students. For example, students are given travel money for Christmas, and there is no flexibility. If they do not use it at Christmas, it has to go all the way to the Minister's desk to have a decision made, when in fact the Minister should be looking at other things, like finding $1 million for student summer employment, rather than deciding if a student can make different use of the travel money they have been authorized to spend.

We have no clear way to track success, Mr. Speaker. We have a comprehensive and detailed, relentless system to track failures and debt collection, but we do not have the same system in place to work with the students that are graduating. To work with industries to find them jobs. We have to look at ways to not leave students who fail out in the cold for three years. Is there a way to give them some bridging to get them that one semester they need to get back on their feet.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, we have to work closely with our aboriginal partners to coordinate the funds they have with the funds we have. This is done by the people in the Dogrib region. By doing that, they are able to compound the benefit and effect of the money they spend. Mr. Speaker, we are not here simply asking for money. There are things this government can do to change and improve the system to make it more effective for all students. Thank you.

Member's Statement 31-14(2): Student Financial Assistance
Item 3: Members' Statements

February 24th, 2000

Page 73

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.