WHEREAS people with post-secondary education are six times more likely to have employment, and completing post-secondary education dramatically increases the lifetime prospects of having well-paid, stable employment;

AND WHEREAS the Department of Education’s Student Financial Assistance Program is designed to support full-time students pursuing a post-secondary education;

AND WHEREAS the living allowance for these students has not increased for 11 years, since the year 2000;

AND WHEREAS the Consumer Price Index in Canada has increased 27 percent since 2000, which indicates that the value of Northwest Territories students’ assistance has eroded a great deal in that time;

AND WHEREAS many students are taking part-time jobs to meet their essential needs, such as rent and food, while attending post-secondary institutions;

AND WHEREAS financial hardship can lead to Northwest Territories students failing to complete their post-secondary studies;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment increase the living allowances set out in Schedule B of the Regulations to the Student Financial Assistance Act by 27 percent;

AND FURTHER, that the structure of the program be altered to ensure that Student Financial Assistance grants be indexed and subject to annual changes that are linked to the Consumer Price Index;

AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a comprehensive response to this motion within 90 days.