Mr. Krutko.
Debates of June 28th, 2000
This is page numbers 241 - 294 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 3rd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.
Topics
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you. Maybe the Minister could elaborate a little more on how that $650,000 is going to tie into the $257,000 for adult basic education and literacy?
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Ootes.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Perhaps I can ask Mr. Cleveland to elaborate, but we have identified for adult literacy and basic education the following funding: for departmental base funding for Aurora College, we have $2.5 million; we have the Tree of Peace in Yellowknife, for $95,000; and then Teacher Education Program; Access, Health and Social Services Nursing Program, and that is $350,000. The National Literacy Secretariat is providing $165,000 and then $40,000 for each of the three regions. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Are you saying there is now going to be some $900,000 in the area of adult basic education and literacy?
That number that is in the main estimates right now is $257,000. With the $650,000 increase, that is $900,000. So is that the amount that is going to be inserted into the main estimates?
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Ootes.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Should the committee consider and approve, it would increase the budget by $650,000 and that would be in the Community Skills For Work Program. Thank you.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is good news. We would definitely support such an initiative, but the area of concern I still have is those people that are trying to get themselves into the different programs but need help and assistance to be able to access the program you mentioned.
In order to do that, you have to have a certain grade level, the basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. I was just wondering, what is the criteria that is going to be used for people to be able to access this new program?
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Ootes.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Cleveland.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Cleveland
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The needs, as I think the Member points out very well, are different from community to community. We expect that we will have different types of proposals within this program from different communities based on their individual community needs. We are expecting that we will have a bit of a range of entry criteria, if you will. But those entry criteria will come from what we hear at the community level. Thank you.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Will the dollars be allocated by each... you mentioned there will be different criteria, but I would like to know if it will be equally distributed between the 17 Adult Basic Education programs we have in place in the 17 different communities right now.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Ootes.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The intention is to focus on communities without adult education programs.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Bell, general comments.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to discuss some of the concerns the committee had in the area of student financial assistance for disabled people. I think in the Northwest Territories, up until recently, there was no additional funding for permanently disabled persons who wanted to attend post-secondary school and receive funding.
Additionally, since there was no funding, there were no requirements for the numbers of courses they might have to take in order to access funding. Now we see that there is a program, and disabled people are eligible for up to $5,000 a year to help them offset tuition and books, and other additional expenses they might have.
I am wondering if the Minister can talk about how that program came to be, and how it is working so far. Thank you.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Ootes.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is not meant for tuition or books. That is part of the Student Financial Assistance Program. This is available to students with permanent disabilities, and the amount is based on an assessment of need up to $5,000 per year.
Mr. Chairman, it may be used to cover a tutor, interpreter, for transportation, attendant care, and special equipment. Thank you.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Bell.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
Brendan Bell Yellowknife South
Thank you for that clarification. I am wondering if the Minister can tell us if he feels that amount of money from the consultation he must have done is adequate. Is $5,000 enough? Thank you.
Committee Motion 8-14(3): Additional Semester Entitlements Under Revised Student Financial Assistance Program (carried)
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 284
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Mr. Ootes.