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.

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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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the Small Community Employment Support Program as well as the contract services, the question asked earlier, was that money fully utilized, we said it wasn't. We have to get the details on where those pots of money didn't get fully utilized. I will get back to the Member on that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer. You almost confused me there. I lost my thought. That is easy today.

With this split in the two areas, small community employment and community service contracts of $920,000, can it be simplified and put into small communities so we would know exactly what the fund is instead of looking from one area to another area? I think it might be another question you might have to talk to the Finance Minister about moving it over. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.

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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is the format of the main estimates. I am sure it has something to do with the accountability in the reporting and how the dollars are flowed through the system. That is something we can also look at as we have this new investment of $3 million moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am assuming that was a commitment to work with the Finance Minister and try to line it up to where it is. I appreciate the answer. I guess going back to small community employment, when you talked about there were 200 jobs which are salary subsidy, 69 formal training, but again it comes back to my question previously: we have 3,900 people who are on income support and we only see a small increase. Will the Minister look at these facts and information and see that we have a glowing arrow -- not an arrow, but people are stuck having to go to income support to survive in this territory. Will you look at these numbers and try to make them a little bit more balanced? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.

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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is a goal of the department, that we want our residents to be working and getting the skills and the training that they need to be employable. Definitely a goal. We do see the startling numbers on income assistance and making sure that we try to provide every opportunity for our residents to get into the workforce. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for his answer. Again I appreciate the comments. Can we get a number, a goal, a number that we can look at? Because you are only giving us six months. How many people will we hopefully be able to give employment after these six months so that we can reduce that income support number? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.

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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We can't give a targeted number. It is based on a lot of things; how many employers do we have in the Northwest Territories, how many bands would like to partnership on either small community projects and how many would be willing to take on that wage subsidy, making sure that we have residents out there who are capable, ready, and willing to work as well. We can't really throw out a number. If anything, it would be nice to match the numbers that we had last time. With the new investment, hopefully we will have more communities that want to uptake this project and this program moving forward so that we can get the residents working. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister again for his response. I am a little disappointed that we are not getting a number. Again, I don't want this to be a salary subsidy program. I want a partnership. I want to be able to give the communities the money so that they can actually employ people and get them to work and provide training so they become a better, skilled workforce. Is the department really looking at this to become a job creation or just a subsidy program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.

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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Currently, we are going to move ahead the way we have always rolled out this program. I appreciate the feedback from Members, actually. I know that a lot of Members were asking to not have a wage subsidy. We will take that feedback. As we come up with the strategy, we will take that into consideration. Right now, as of today, we are still going to be moving forward with the wage subsidy the way it is. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand what the Minister is trying to say. I understand we are trying to move forward. However, if we just match these numbers that we have now and we don't utilize all that money, that is $3 million just sitting there. To me, it is about small communities getting people to work. Will the Minister make a commitment once they have come up with a strategy within the next six months that they will bring it back to committee so that we can look at this information? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.

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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, we will bring that information to committee once it is put together. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Thompson.

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

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate the Minister's commitment. I am hoping it is within the six months that we have heard from himself and his staff. I am going to turn to another set of questioning here. It is regarding the increase in funding for the TEP in social work program. This money is coming from SFA; correct? Thank you.

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

The Chair

The Chair Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Minister Moses.

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

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really don't understand the form of question the Member is trying to ask. We currently fund for college and TEP through our contribution agreements, not through the Student Financial Assistance pot of funding. Maybe the Member can just clarify his question. Thank you, Mr. Chair.