Thank you, Mr. Chair. Of course, we care about all of our employees throughout the whole government. As I mentioned, those discussions I am sure are happening between the senior management over at the Aurora College and their current staff.

In terms of students in the Social Work Program, or social workers in general or educators, we continue to support students who are taking education as well in Social Work Programs in other jurisdictions, and we continue to support them and bring them back to the Northwest Territories here to work. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Ms. Green, one more question.

Thank you. We heard at some point last year that there was an Aurora College Accountability Framework that was being developed in testing. What is the status of that project vis-a-vis the foundational review? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As this foundational review is coming to completion and we will get getting that report, the accountability framework will be guided by some of the feedback that we have also received through this foundational review. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister confirm what the status organizationally of Aurora College is? What I mean by that is does this department consider it a public agency, consider it a department of government, a Crown corporation? What is its position functionally to the government? Thank you.

I am going to mention again here, if the questions are coming to the page, please reference the page. I will allow this question to go ahead. Minister Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The Aurora College is a publicly funded institution that provides programs and services to residents of the North. We have a great nursing program that has an intake of a set number of southern students as well, but it is a publicly funded institution. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. As a publicly funded institution, is it at arm's length from government as other publicly funded education institutions are? Can the Minister confirm that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, and, with the funding that the GNWT provides to Aurora College, we want to make sure that Aurora College is accountable for public dollars that are being spent. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Thank you. So, as a publicly funded independent institution, why is the Minister able to make management decisions on behalf of the college about programs that are being offered at the college? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Because that is one of the provisions legislated in the Aurora College Act. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and there we have the inherent contradiction with it being both a publicly funded independent institution and yet one that the department can reach into and tinker with when they want to change the services being provided.

Why are we approaching the college, the management of the college, through providing that kind of direct approach rather than entering into funding agreements, those kinds of arrangements that can be targeted, measured, have reliable targeted outcomes that the college would have to meet? Why are we not incentivizing the operations of the college and the success and outcomes of the college through those kinds of agreements rather than the department, through the Minister's authority, actually interfering with the management, the day-to-day operations of the college? Thank you.

Mr. Testart, Minister Moses, if we can be mindful of the main estimates in front of us from pages 50 to 60 and referencing the pages on the numbers provided, it would add more clarity to the process. Go ahead, Minister Moses.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is not on a day-to-day operations. Aurora College does do their yearly planning, and I do sign off on that, and the department does not tell Aurora College what to do. We do look at their yearly plans and approve them. A lot of the discussions and comments that the Member has made are actually being currently looked at with this foundation review. I am glad that Members who did actually do the interview with our contractor gave good feedback, and we will be looking forward to seeing what recommendations come out of that report moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For clarity, this is page 51, the contribution to Aurora College, $32,421,000, and the reason I asked the question on the detail of how we are spending that money is this essentially accounts for the vast majority of our post-secondary education money. It is a significant investment, and we need to make sure it is being spent right. I appreciate that, many of these comments, the Minister will say have to wait until the completion of the foundational review, but, again, we are seeing the same appropriation being proposed for Aurora College for this budget.

It does not appear to me that we are making any changes again this year, and this is after three years where this has been raised as a concern. I know the foundational review is happening, but, you know, as to my colleague's point, my honourable friend from Yellowknife Centre, decisions are being made about how this money is being spent by the government. Programs have been shuttered, the two important programs to be shuttered, and the Minister has been reluctant to consider alternative approaches to how the department delivers on this appropriation. I think that is a concern to the public, and it is certainly a concern to me.

I will just ask: if the foundational review sets the college on a new course that requires additional appropriation or an adjustment to this appropriation, how does the department plan to address that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister Moses.