Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know that a good education is a way to a good job. By ensuring that student financial assistance meets our students’ needs, we are investing in our future and the future of the Northwest Territories is in their hands. We badly need these students to come back to our communities and work in our communities. All kinds of companies and organizations need well-educated employees; our local businesses, governments, our schools and our Aboriginal development corporations, our health centres and, yes, this Government of the Northwest Territories.
The Consumer Price Index in Canada is up 27 percent since we last adjusted the Student Financial Assistance Program 11 years ago. So, Mr. Speaker, those dollars students get for food and rent just don’t go as far as they used to. I’m all for students working part-time if they can, but I also know some students are always short of money. In some cases, some real hardships if the parents cannot afford to send them any more money or food.
If we raise the student financial assistance to catch up with the prices since the year 2000 -- a student is currently receiving $700 a month -- that would give them an extra $189. That could easily be the difference between success and failure, Mr. Speaker, when you’re trying to get by on a small budget far away from home, and we need these students to succeed, especially in our small communities. Too few of our students go on to higher education. We need every one of them to succeed. They will show the way for others and education levels will improve all around.
Maybe the Finance Minister will say we just don’t have that money to do this. I will expect he will point
out that we are already spending $9.2 million a year on student financial assistance. The proposal I am making is to add $2.7 million to that. Let’s not be too hasty to say no, we can’t do it. These few dollars that we put into the student financial assistance will come back to this government many times over during the lives of these successful students. We also know, on average, better educated people require less health care and social assistance, so every successful post-secondary student also saves our government money in the long run. It should not be necessary to debate the level of the student financial assistance every year in this House.
We set up a program and now I’m asking the government to make sure students don’t fall behind when the prices go up. By tying SFA grants to the Consumer Price Index, this is only fair and reasonable. This government is tying more fees to inflation all the time and we should do the same with these students. The government is pretty fast to boost revenue from higher fees, but not so quick to pay a little more to people who need help. Let’s not be too chintzy about our students. Let’s help them complete their post-secondary studies with flying colours. Let’s do it and be very proud of them.
When our students return home with diplomas or degrees in hand, they have a bright future ahead of them. I thank you, colleagues, for allowing me to speak on this motion and to support this motion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.