Debates of Feb. 20th, 2017

This is page numbers 1779 – 1836 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 2nd 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 program.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 138-18(2): Slave Geological Province Access Corridor

Minister’s Statement 139-18(2): Education, Training And Youth Development: Education, Culture And Employment Progress Statement

Expanding The Economy Through Investments In People

February Statutory Holiday Proposal

Return Of Fort Providence Minor Hockey Program

Regional Benefits Of Mackenzie Valley Highway Construction

Status Of Transboundary Water Agreements

Territorial Marine Resupply Services

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Overflow Water On Beaufort Delta Highways

Connie Loutit Memorial Soccer Tournament

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Territorial Marine Resupply Services

Status Of Transboundary Water Agreements

Supports For The Agriculture Industry

Whati All-Season Road

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Programs

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Social Work Program

Status Of GNWT Open Government Policy

Overflow Water On Beaufort Delta Highways

Increased Investment In The Mineral Incentive Program

Impact Of Slave Geological Province Access Corridor Impact On Caribou Populations

Proposed Elimination Of Aurora College Programs

Tabled Document 287-18(2): Follow-Up Letter To Oral Question 525-18(2): Sahtu Regional Health Council

Bill 17: An Act To Amend The Income Tax Act

Bill 18: An Act To Amend The Health And Social Services Professions Act

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Education And Culture Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Labour Development And Standards Activity

Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Further Consideration Of The Estimates For The Department Of Education, Culture And Employment

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 53-18(2): Tabled Document 261-18(2): Main Estimates 2017-2018, Education, Culture And Employment, Deferral Of Education And Culture Activity, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My apologies for the delay. As you know, the department has been pretty busy the last little while here. We'll get that information to Members tomorrow. Thank you

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.

February 20th, 2017

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I think I heard the Minister say tomorrow; is that correct? Okay, great.

My next question is I believe it's in the business plan that there's some mention of an accountability framework being developed for Aurora College. Can the Minister or his staff tell me a little bit more about what that accountability framework is all about? Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Deputy Minister Haener.

Haener

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the request for the mandate letter, and I don't want this to sound circular, but there is a reference in the mandate letter that the Minister has provided to the college the development of an accountability framework. We are doing that collaboratively with the college over the next year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Deputy Minister Haener. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Great to hear that the accountability framework is mentioned in the mandate letters, but can someone explain just a little bit more about this? Presumably, it's some sort of a system to evaluate the effectiveness of their programs and what they're doing and whether targets are being met and so on. Is that what this accountability framework is all about? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That's the intent of this accountability framework. As you see, we do have a contribution agreement with the Aurora College for quite a lot of money and we want to make sure that dollars are being spent effectively, efficiently, and that they are held accountable to the dollars that we are providing them. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate that. That is sort of what I had assumed the accountability framework was all about. Can the Minister now explain why these cuts are being made to Aurora College contributions before the strategic plan is finished, before an accountability framework is finished? Then we might probably have a better understanding of where the college can become more efficient and effective. Why make these cuts in advance of those exercises? It just doesn't make any sense. Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Aurora College was given a target for reductions. They worked in collaboration with our department, looked at the programs within the services that they provide, and as I have mentioned and said in the House, the graduation rates were very low coming out of these two programs. That was the decision that was made by both the Aurora College and our department moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the explanation from the Minister. I don't agree with the process the department has gone about with this. Let's just get a little bit more detail about when was Aurora College told that they were going to get their contribution cut? Just a ballpark figure. Middle of September? When did that happen? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That was done in September of last year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Presumably, when the board of directors found out about the cut, they would probably have developed a revised budget for the college for the year. Was that revised budget submitted to the department? About when would that have happened and when would the department have approved it, or when would the Minister have approved it? Thanks, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The process was that in September we approached Aurora College with reductions. They came back with revised reductions that they wanted to see in November. Those were finalized. Those revisions were put into the main estimates in December and sent to P and P.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So okay, now we have the paper trail right. The department told the college about reductions. They came back with a revised budget. That was then approved by the Minister and the department. The Minister has known about the cuts to these programs for several months, and now word is coming out about these because of e-mails to students and so on. Regular MLAs, we weren't really told about what was being reduced or cut in terms of the programs offered by the college. Once again, poor communications. Just unacceptable that this is the way that this sort of thing takes place. Again, it is being driven by the fiscal strategy and targets set by Cabinet. I think that is all I have to say about this, Mr. Chair. Just not a good way to go about planning and delivering on post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. I take that as a comment. Would the Minister like to respond?

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When we were working on the potential reductions with the Aurora College, we did send information to the clerk's office to share with the standing committee. Once the revisions were made, we did send that to committee as well, and the Main Estimates in December, I believe. It might have been December 20th. I would have to confirm the dates with that. I do believe Members should have been aware of this last year at some time. Then January 9th, I believe, was the very finalized draft in the main estimates that was presented to committee. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of Feb. 20th, 2017

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