Mr. Speaker, the program that we do offer through the grants and loans contribution to the students, one can look at it as up to six years plus the loans. When you look at the total over the course of the program delivery, it could be more than 10 years that we sponsor these students. I think that is the avenue that we need to look at. I think we have a generous package that we offer to northern students. We continue to improve in our areas where it was $47,000 for loans, now we have upped it up to $60,000. I think, Mr. Speaker, this is the area that we are quite unique compared to other jurisdictions. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, for the aboriginal students who want to obtain their master’s or doctor’s degree, the eligibility is six years again. I talked to a student who is getting a master’s degree. She is having a very difficult time. The Minister makes it sound so easy and makes it look so wonderful that they can do it, but this person is having a difficult time to get funding from this government…

Do you have a question, Mr. Yakeleya?

Will the Minister look at and review the eligibility in terms of the aboriginal students who want to obtain a degree?

Mr. Speaker, we can certainly look at the individual case that the Member is referring to, what kind of struggles there are and challenges. We do have various avenues that we can sponsor students. As I highlighted, there are grants and loans and also through our

own income security area, they can qualify for certain subsidies as well. We can certainly look at it on a case-by-case basis if the Member can provide that information. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are probably other cases, so that is why I have asked it in a general context. Would the Minister look at the eligibility in terms of First Nations students who want to obtain a master’s or doctor’s degree? I can certainly give him specifics, and he certainly can look at it, but I am looking at it generally overall in terms of aboriginal students who believe that they have Treaty rights to education. Would the Minister look at the general overall program?

Mr. Speaker, we do provide a general overall program, the subsidies to the students, whether they are aboriginal or non-aboriginal students who are Northerners, up to six years plus. Then they can take out the loan that was remiss as well when they come back to the North. They don’t have to pay it back. We do have a generous package. I am not sure what else we can provide. Even the southern jurisdictions, in comparison our package is more attractive. It has more strength than other programs down south. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will challenge the department and the Minister to review this SFA in terms of the eligibility here. I believe that the southern part has more strength than the government here. I will ask that he would review and see where he can strengthen it in terms of this eligibility in terms of six years. Alberta has 10 years. I want to challenge the Minister to see if he would look at a general overview and come back with an analysis of what he found out.

Mr. Speaker, certainly we can provide more research with our neighbouring Alberta. We need to find out if it is all grants, because I am sure there is a loans portfolio as well. That is what we offer right now, grants and loans. It could be more than 10 years that we can offer students from the North to attend university down south to get their master’s or PhD. We do provide that opportunity for them. We will continue to do so. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 9, written questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.