Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank all of the students who were in front of the Legislative Assembly building. I would like to thank them for coming and supporting the students who are out there. I would also like to thank the Members for their comments on this specific motion that is before us.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would just like to point out that there is one thing that all Northerners can agree upon, and that is the importance of making sure all northern children and youth have a strong education for the future.
We are working to strengthen the continuum of lifelong education beginning in early childhood, as Members have alluded to, and continue for life. We need to ensure Northerners are trained and raised to take advantage of opportunities that are before us and that will exist in this Territory for decades to come.
The Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to education of NWT residents. This year our GNWT will invest close to $270 million in educating our people. This money pays for schools and teachers in the communities across the North, provides support for apprenticeship and career training, support for operation of Aurora College, and helps NWT students access post-secondary education through the SFA Program.
Mr. Speaker, this government offers one of the most generous Student Financial Assistance Programs in the country. Over 1,400 NWT students are currently pursuing their education goals annually with the assistance of the GNWT program. We are providing over $14 million in grants and loans to our students to help offset their costs associated with education, including tuition, books, travel costs and living expenses.
We don’t pay for everything, Mr. Speaker, but we do provide a substantial level of assistance to help keep the cost of education from becoming a barrier to most of the students.
Unlike most of the other Canadian jurisdictions, the GNWT does not require most of the NWT students with their families to undergo income testing. NWT students who enroll in an approved post-secondary program or course are eligible to receive student financial assistance from the GNWT regardless of their family income.
Unlike most other Canadian jurisdictions, many NWT students do not, I repeat, do not have to pay back their loans, which can be forgiven if they return to the Northwest Territories, which we all hope that they will eventually come back to the North and work for us upon the completion of their studies.
Our policy of hiring students during the summer months gives northern students a chance to gain job experience while making competitive wages.
Mr. Speaker, our government practice of hiring extends its commitment even further. Over the past year and a half, this government has taken a careful look at its budget. Even before the current global economic slowdown, we needed to reduce our spending to bring it into line with our revenues, to ensure that we can sustain a level of
programming and services that the people of the Northwest Territories need from their government. We’ve had to make some decisions about where to spend our money and where to make some reductions.
Where we’ve had to make difficult choices, difficult decisions, we have acted to protect those programs and investment to help a greater number of students, the people of the North. Until this year, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has been able to offer academic scholarships. Based on academic success, these scholarships provide an average of 100 students a year with financial awards over and above amounts already available under the SFA Program.
I am proud of these students who are achieving at the highest academic level. However, their needs cannot be considered greater than those of other students and it is important to maintain the grant and loan benefits afforded to all northern post-secondary students.
Mr. Speaker, we regret the impact these reductions will have on the scholarship recipients. We will continue, however, to support these students with grants and loans, which continue to be available to all SFA recipients, and by promoting a variety of scholarship programs provided by the private sector.
I appreciate the meaningful commentary that’s been offered by the students and MLAs here, and also the family members. But please understand that we value education. That’s why we’re here. We are pleased to see young Northerners with strong voices and a will to succeed. That is why we are asking in the long term to protect one of the best SFA programs in Canada.
Just for the record, the Cabinet will be abstaining from voting on this matter, on the motion, since it’s a direction to the government.