Caroline Cochrane

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 28, 2018, I will move that Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, further to my return to Written Question 10-18(3), I wish to table the following document entitled "Zones and Eligibility of the Seniors Home Heating Subsidy Program as at April 1, 2018." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Our community learning centres are critical, especially to the smaller communities that the MLA has spoken about, because they actually are working on the ground with people. They're actually looking at people who perhaps have dropped out and need to have adult education programs. They can provide the access program to give people the prerequisites and support so that they can get into college or university, if that's where they need to go. They can do specialized programs in different areas. The problem is, though, that we need to make sure that community learning centres, that education from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To actually pinpoint why graduation rates are low is difficult. There can be a lot of extenuating situations that make people leave school. It can be a lack of support. It can be family dynamics. It can be poverty. It could be "I met a new boyfriend, and I just want to hit the road." There are a whole host of reasons why students leave school, but what we are noticing is that we do need to do something about it. It is not okay. We are looking at things that we can control within education and things that we can actually do to support students to make positive choices.

Cu...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I know that we were trying to get it rushed through. There was concerns with the tourism, the income for the City of Yellowknife, et cetera, so we have been trying to work diligently on it. We are still on track.

We have our legislative proposal that I believe is in the process of being submitted. I know I dated it March 6th, and it was sent out of my office on March 8th, so I can find out where exactly in the background it is, but we are diligently trying to get that legislative proposal to standing committee at this time. Thank you.

The Member is correct. We are looking at being proactive and to try to alleviate the need for huge environmental costs when fuel tanks leak. It is not only a costs issue; it is an environmental issue that we are trying to address. I can't speak on behalf of either departments, but I can say that I will direct the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to touch base to try to work with ENR to actually see how we can address any fuel tank spills as best as possible.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will take that into consideration. It is important to learn from programs that we have offered in the past and see how we can make them better. We did learn through Housing that we need to work with the communities that don't have all-season roads and be more proactive. We will look at barging in fuel tanks to those communities that don't have access through the all-season road.

As presented in our original presentation on this act to the standing committee, we are still on track with that. Once the standing committee reviews the legislative proposal and permits their feedback, then I will give drafting instructions, and if there are no major glitches, then this will continue as provided, and so it will be brought forward in the May session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is responsible for the CTV Act. We are not responsible for the funding that is provided to the Visitors' Association. As stated, I can't speak on behalf of another department. I am not sure. I know that Municipal and Community Affairs would not be going into the City of Yellowknife to look at their budget for their visitors' centre. That is not under Municipal and Community Affairs.

I am willing to work with the communities on this, but I can't do this alone. If homeowners actually have an issue where they have an environmental concern, they don't have a fuel tank or they may be having to take one out because it is not meeting the need now, and we can't get a tank in there, if they apply to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, we will try to do our best to try to alleviate any potential or spillage that is there currently, recognizing that they have to fit within the needs assessment, the income threshold, to be able to qualify for our programming.

However, tell...