This is page numbers 611 - 644 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 6th 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 communities.

Topics

Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

March 9th, 2003

Page 621

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and it is in regards to student financial assistance. Mr. Speaker, I've asked lots of questions on this. One of the things that the Minister has stated as to the reason why some of the categories of people that I have brought to his attention -- those with disabilities and the RCMP Training Academy students -- and the reasons why they are not included on their SFA is because the Minister and the department has to follow the Canada student regulations or guidelines. However, we know that out of all the money that goes into this fund, Canada funds $1 million and GNWT funds $11 million. So my question to the Minister is why is this against the general principle in life that we live by, which is that those who pay the pipers call the tunes. We pay millions; Canada pays one million. Why do we have to follow their rules? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there has been a consistency in approach to the SFA program. This program was redesigned in '99, Mr. Speaker. We made some changes in 2000 to make improvements for students but the principles in the programs were maintained and there are, as the honourable Member mentioned earlier, areas that need to be looked at. I committed before to have a look at that but they're mostly in the area of possible alternatives, Mr. Speaker, to maintain the integrity and principles of the program. Thank you.

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Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, other than the general tradition of doing it this way and the department choosing to follow this path, could I ask the Minister as to whether or not there is a contract that we signed with the government or is there something specific that ties us to the Canada student loan guidelines? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker there is, no doubt, a contractual arrangement between the federal government and ourselves, however, I don't have the details to that here. I could get that for the Member. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary question, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, maybe I should just ask the Minister whether or not he could look into it to see if there is a legally binding contract that we have with Canada's regulations and what the background of that is and when it was last revisited and could he provide the information to the House. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Yes, Mr. Speaker. As an alternative, I certainly will do that. I'll have a look to see what the obligations on our part are, legal obligations, and I can report back to the Member on that.

Further Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I'm not sure whether the last part of your comment was audible. Would you, for the record, just repeat the last part of it there, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member had asked if I could report back the information with regard to the legal arrangements regarding the Student Financial Assistance Program and I can report back and will report back to the House. Thank you.

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Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee Range Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to make sure we cross the t's and dot the i's, we know that we are going to be leaving and session will finish pretty soon here. Could I have the commitment from the Minister to do this by the end of the month at the latest? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Yes, I'll make that commitment, Mr. Speaker. I will do that.

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Question 200-14(6): Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I'd like to ask him about the status of the intensive care unit at Stanton. We've had very few reports from the department, either to committee or to the Members as a whole on this side of the House about the status of the ICU. We are getting dribs and drabs out to the media, but I am wondering if he could sort of officially let us know where things stand? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, training is underway and we anticipate opening the ICU in the next few months. Thank you.

Return To Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Supplementary To Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you. I'm wondering if the Minister could also provide me with some information on a number of -- I think it will end up being almost a year if I remember now that the ICU has been closed -- I'm interested in the number of NWT patients who've had to be diverted South due to the closure, and I'm wondering if we could put a price tag on the figure for medevacs and that kind of thing. Could he provide us with that sort of information? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Question 201-14(6): Status Of The Stanton Intensive Care Unit
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take that question as notice.