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

Cory Vanthuyne Yellowknife North

Okay. Thank you. Thank you for the clarification. Mr. Chair, I'll go to a quick question here. You know what, I'll forego for now. Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Vanthuyne. Next we have Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, just a couple of questions that I'm looking for clarification on. On the college contributions, the decrease of $1,580,000 on page 45, if that's a reduction in the intake from the two programs that will eventually be cut out -- I think maybe social work immediately this fall, and then the intake for TEP -- is that what the decrease is? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, that's not from the intake. As I mentioned, we're going to continue to support the students who are in the current program right now for two more years of the social work program and then an additional three years for the TEP program. So no, those aren't the result. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you. Then there is no decrease to this budget as a result of the plan to eliminate those two programs? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As mentioned when Mr. Lovely had explained some of the reductions that were going on this year with the college, those were the ones that were identified, and then for the future years to come. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Okay. I'm sorry if I don't feel like it's been clearly explained or if I'm not getting my point across. There's a reduction in college contributions by a certain amount. I'm asking if that reduction has to do with the fact that they're no longer taking in first-year students for TEP because it's going to wind down in the next three years. So I'm assuming that next year we'll only have second-year, third-year, fourth-year students and then another year of social work, because that's also been reduced. So I'm wondering where that is reflected? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Lovely.

February 20th, 2017

Lovely

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So for 2017-18, the social work program, the funding will be reduced by $369,000 and then by $369,000 in 2017-18 for the social work program. Then, in 2018-19, the Teacher Education Program funding, that will cease in that year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Lovely. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the ADM is telling me that there is no reduction as a result of the plan to eliminate TEP at this point or in this budget. Is that correct? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Lovely.

Lovely

Sorry, Mr. Chair. So I should just clarify. The community-based teacher education program will be eliminated in 2017-18, but the actual program that the Member is referring to will be eliminated, the funding will be reduced, in 2018-19. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Lovely. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

I will have to try to figure out what that means eventually. So there is a reduction of the community-based teacher program. Is that right? The community-based teacher program, I am assuming, is that we are training teachers at the community level and that is being reduced? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Minister Moses.

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes, that is correct, with the elimination of the community-based teacher education program. Maybe for a little bit more detail, I will ask my deputy minister to answer. Thank you.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Deputy Minister Haener.

Haener

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As Mr. Lovely indicated, in 2017-18 the community-based teacher education program that is currently delivered at the Yellowknife North Slave campus will be eliminated. It is currently funded in the amount of $300,000, so that will be eliminated in 2017-18. There is the broader Teacher Education Program. The funding reductions for that will commence in 2018-19 and then continue in 2019-20. In 2018-19, it will be $975,000 that will be eliminated and then, in 2019-20, $325,000 for the Teacher Education Program. For the social work program, in 2017-18 there will be a reduction of $369,000, and, in 2018-19, there will be a further reduction of $123,000, for an overall total of $492,000 over those two years. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Deputy Minister Haener. Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am going to move on to a different topic, Mr. Chair. We were dealing with the small community employment support program and for quite a while in discussions with the department, and then a decision was made by the government to put an additional $3 million into that program, which is excellent. We were under the assumption, however, that the budget was $1.3 million, but we can see from this budget in front of us that the actual budget last year was $339,000 and was carried into this year. Our request initially was to have the overall budget at $5 million, but it seemed fairly acceptable that $4.3 million was something that we could probably live with, but, now that we are seeing that it was actually only $300,000 spent -- I suppose it must have been spent, or it is revised. I did know it went to $444,000 the previous year, as well. We were always operating with the assumption it was $1 million-plus in there. I am wondering if the Minister could just explain those numbers to us. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Debates of Feb. 20th, 2017

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