Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to talk today about the transition from the old Student Financial Assistance Program to the new Student Financial Assistance Program. Yesterday in committee of the whole, we made various points to the Minister to let him know we were very concerned that students who were currently in the system were not being extended the same benefits as someone just coming into the system. We see this as a major oversight.
The department has cited a simple lack of money, and said it would be too costly, too expensive, to allow these students to receive the same benefits that new students are getting. They suggested it would cost us anywhere from $1 million to $1.5 million this year to allow the 200 students whose benefits ran out and were in school last semester to continue.
This is only 200 students, Mr. Speaker, out of a total of 1200 who were in school last semester. I would also like to suggest that most of these students would not be able to go back to school, and are perfectly happy and employed now. I do not really think we are talking about $1 million to $1.5 million.
Also, given the fact that last year, the department lapsed $900,000 in student financial assistance, I do not see this million or half million dollars as being an onerous or an exorbitant amount of money to expect the department to be able to come up with. The department explained that this $900,000 lapse was due to 80 students, give or take, up or down, in enrolments.
Mr. Speaker, I think one of the important things to realize is that we are asking that the students in the system be extended additional semesters so that they can get their masters level, or go on to become doctors and lawyers, professions we desperately need northern people to be trained for.
It seems to me that the people who are already in the system and have proven successful in getting some level of education are our best bets for higher levels of training. Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to this government that they can pay now for student financial assistance, or pay later down the road and continue to import the talent we need here in the Northwest Territories. I believe it is their choice. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
-- Applause