Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Social Development is pleased to provide its report on Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, and commends it to the House.

Mr. Speaker, Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, is a Private Member's Bill that proposes one change to the current Act - to amend paragraph 10(3)(8) of the Student Financial Assistance Act by striking out "$60,000" and substituting it with "$90,000". The change is proposed to allow for students to be able to borrow up to $90,000 in loans from the Government of the Northwest Territories student financial assistance program, instead of $60,000.

The bill sponsor, Robert Hawkins, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, brought Bill 8 forward to the House in the June 2024 sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly. Bill 8 received second reading on June 12th, 2024, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. This report summarizes committee's review of Bill 8, including three recommendations:

Public Engagement

Between June 2024 to August 2024, committee engaged the public. Committee hosted one public meeting in Yellowknife - Somba K'e - on August 20, 2024. At this public meeting, committee heard from the bill sponsor, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment and her staff, and one member of the public. Committee also sought written submissions on Bill 8. Committee received written submissions from 11 members of the public. The Minister's presentation and written submissions are included in Appendix A.

Committee appreciates those that offered feedback at public meetings and in written submissions. All written submissions received were written and submitted by students, and they all welcomed Bill 8 as a positive and needed step to continue their access to education, help them in returning to the Northwest Territories post-graduation, and fill needed positions in the NWT such as veterinarians, doctors, dentists, and lawyers.

At the public briefing, some of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's main concerns were legislative changes to the revolving loan fund if higher individual loan limits were to be introduced and concerns about students taking on too much debt. The department provided committee with an analysis on the 2023 SFA program changes and noted that by updating average tuition costs and living costs to 2023, it was determined that the average single student would be able to access remissible and repayable loans to complete a 4-year program and a 2-year graduate program with a loan limit of $83,850. They also noted that students with more than two dependents would need an increased loan limit of $89,200 to complete a 4-year program. The department highlights the need to make administrative updates should Bill 8 receive assent.

Committee would like to see more NWT students advancing themselves and therefore is in support of Bill 8. Further, committee would like to see more supports going to Indigenous communities, particularly to improve the education outcome for Indigenous students in the NWT. Committee is pleased that there were many changes to the SFA program in 2023 that benefitted Indigenous students, including the removal of semester limits for the supplementary grant and remissible loans and unlimited access to basic grants.

Although, committee would like to know that there is a guarantee that reversals to these changes will not occur, keeping in the spirit of steps towards reconciliation. Committee therefore presents the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1:

The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories increase education funding to Indigenous communities and Indigenous students in the NWT to improve the education outcome of Indigenous students.

Recommendation 2:

The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories make a public commitment to guarantee continued reconciliation efforts in regards to education outcomes for Indigenous students, such as the removal of semester limits and increased access to funding under the basic grant.

Committee found that in its discussions around NWT students moving forward with post-secondary education, committee could not ignore the many aspects of the education system that need to be improved to provide NWT students and, in particular, Indigenous students, with the tools they need to be ready for post-secondary education. Committee believes this needs to be addressed from all angles of the school experience. For example, the government should ensure that every student in every NWT school has access to a lunch program. Committee believes that students in small communities who show desire to pursue post-secondary education should have access to enrichment programs or streams to nourish their potential. Committee also believes educational outcomes in the NWT cannot improve until access to mental health supports in schools and therapeutic interventions such as speech therapy are properly funded by the government.

Committee would also like to highlight the findings of the 2020 February Report of the Auditor General of Canada to the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly entitled "Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the Northwest Territories - Department of Education, Culture and Employment" as this report focused on evaluating the department's delivery of equitable and inclusive education programs and services that reflected Indigenous languages and cultures, to support improved student outcomes for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students alike.

All of these aspects to the school experience and many more contribute to a student's success in their educational career, and many of these services and programs are lacking in Indigenous communities. As such, committee recommends the following action to the Government:

Recommendation 3:

The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories study the disparity of educational outcomes between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous students and put forward a plan with solutions to ensure that our Indigenous students are not left behind no more.

Conclusion

On October 8th, 2024, committee held a clause-by-clause review. Committee passed a motion to report Bill 8 to the Legislative Assembly as ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole.

This concludes the Standing Committee on Social Development's review of Bill 8.

Recommendation 4:

The Standing Committee on Social Development recommends the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response -- sorry, I apologize. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do apologize.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by Member for Mackenzie Delta, that Committee Report 9-20(1): Standing Committee on Social Development report on Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be received by the Assembly and referred to the Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.