This is page numbers 341 - 376 of the Hansard for the 15th 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 name.

Topics

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The best indicator we have on immediate returns is the number of students who are achieving remissions on their loans and that is almost all of them. So we know that most students come back in the first instance to qualify for remission and do stay in the Territories through the remission of their loans.

We do also an occasional survey to try to follow up with people who have received funding to attend post-secondary institutions. While I don't have those numbers with me, we have tabled in the past the post-secondary indicator book and that is available on our website, which does provide follow-up information. So we do regular surveys of students to see how many are still in the North.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Hawkins.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

Robert Hawkins

Robert Hawkins Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I don't say that as a criticism of the program. I would just like to see us get a return on the program. If we are going to educate northerners, I certainly would like to see them...We are investing in folks to come back and we are investing in the right people. I know the last couple of years I have had people ask about programs when they go into their masters, and the Minister provided them with good information and opportunities to go forward and families were very grateful. So when you see an increase in the program, that is going to be an extremely good positive spin-off. I would just like to see that we continue the momentum and synergy so the North as a whole sees a benefit. Do people in general, once their loan is remissed, do they leave or are they staying? It's my experience that when you educate someone up here, whether they are born here or have been educated here, they seem to have a strong tendency coming back home and raising families. No real question, Mr. Chairman, just an observation. All the kids, young students, young and old who have taken advantage of this program, I am just curious on where they have ended up in the sense of that.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Braden.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am very pleased to see this initiative coming forward and to give it my support. As a matter of fact, I may be in a position in the next little while to experience its benefits. I am very happy to see that when we do this, it's something that works for a lot of people. I think this is one of the, unfortunately, little known secrets and advantages of living in the Northwest Territories and raising a family. Whenever I get the chance, I promote this as an enormous benefit that we have that makes us almost unique in Canada. So it is one worth defending, promoting and enhancing whenever we get the chance to and I am happy to see it.

Today I have just one question. It applies to the coming into force of this. Will this be something that students enrolling in the coming school year be able to take advantage of or is this going to be dependent on the next budget cycle, Mr. Chairman?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Dent.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. No, we've been quietly letting people know that the expectation of this will be in place this year and once the bill is passed, we'll make sure it is well publicized amongst students so there is that awareness. There were some students who were running up against that $47,000 limit and we have been letting them know it was in the works and it will be in effect this year.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Next on the list is Mr. Ramsay.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 373

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thank committee's indulgence here. I am not on the Social Programs committee and I don't get to talk about SFA too often, so I will take my opportunity now. I know the government is on its last legs. There are a couple of weeks left. I just want to get some ideas out there. While we are talking about SFA and ideas, one of the problems that we've seen over and over again is the improvement in retention of health care professionals, especially in the small communities and trying to get nurses in the small communities, trying to get teachers in the small communities. One of the ideas that merits some consideration by the department is taking a look at bringing people in here and paying off their student loans while they are here. It would be a heck of a lot cheaper to do that than to fly nurses in from Honduras or Newfoundland, all these locum nurses. You know what? When we get some of these nurses and teachers on the ground in the Northwest Territories, some of them might

actually want to stay here and make their home here. They are young people; they will raise their families here. So I think that's something that merits some consideration by the department. You can include the Department of Health in that if you are going to examine how that would work. I think it would be much more cost-effective to take a look at paying off...Like I said, tuition fees are going up. Kids are coming out of university now with $45,000 or $50,000 in debt with Canada student loans or provincial student loans, in some cases. If the government of the Northwest Territories said why don't you come work for us and we will pay off your student loan while you are here, give us five years or six years, it would be much more cost-effective, I think, and merit some consideration. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Dent.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

August 16th, 2007

Page 374

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The first item that the Member was talking about in terms of attracting people to smaller communities, we already provide remission at a higher rate to nurses who have gone through the program here and are willing to work in our small communities. So we recognize the student financial assistance and remission rates can play a role in recruitment and have taken that to heart and are doing that.

In terms of Education, Culture and Employment remissing loans to a different government, that would be outside of our mandate. But I take the Member's point that it may be something that the government should consider in terms of a recruitment, so I would be happy to have the Minister of Human Resources talk to the Minister of Health and Social Services to see whether or not they would be prepared to consider such an approach.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Ramsay.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Some Hon. Members

Clause by clause.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Thank you. No further general comments. We'll be going clause by clause.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, clause 1.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Clause 2.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Bill as a whole?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Does committee agree that Bill 19 is ready for third reading?

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

The Chair

The Chair Calvin Pokiak

Bill 19 is now ready for third reading. At this time, I would like to thank the Minister and his staff and request the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort the witnesses out. Thank you.

At this time, what is the wish of committee? Mr. Lafferty.

Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 20: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

Page 374

Jackson Lafferty

Jackson Lafferty North Slave

Mahsi, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move we report progress. Mahsi, Mr. Chair.