Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just on one of the points that Mr. Braden was making, or just to provide some clarification perhaps, Nunavut is the only other jurisdiction in Canada that still uses legislation to set minimum wage. So in this change we are expecting that we are making it easier for the government to make smaller changes more regularly, which we think is a more appropriate way in which to handle this. I would expect that the government would annually take a look at what has been happening across the board with wages and embark on a process of consulting with chambers of commerce and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories, GNWT, strives to create a work environment that recognizes professionalism, leadership, integrity and respect for others. These shared values help public service employees adhere to high standards that maintain and foster public confidence in the government. To ensure continued public confidence in the territorial public service, the government is considering the feasibility of whistleblower protection for employees in the GNWT.

There are a number of different approaches to achieve the goal of whistleblower protection from...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The reason this has been written this way is to recognize that the definition of family may be different in the North than what you might find elsewhere and while the family has been defined under compassionate leave pretty much along the way that it is now recognized by the federal government, that’s been done just to ensure that where employment insurance would kick in, it’s a consistent definition here for us; but under bereavement leave, the expectation is that we will have a definition that is much broader, recognizing the northern reality or a broader...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The first item that the Member was talking about in terms of attracting people to smaller communities, we already provide remission at a higher rate to nurses who have gone through the program here and are willing to work in our small communities. So we recognize the student financial assistance and remission rates can play a role in recruitment and have taken that to heart and are doing that.

In terms of Education, Culture and Employment remissing loans to a different government, that would be outside of our mandate. But I take the Member’s point that it may be...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. One of the reasons that it’s being left to regulations is that it allows that consultation to take place, but the Construction Association will be involved in the consultative process, yes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The best indicator we have on immediate returns is the number of students who are achieving remissions on their loans and that is almost all of them. So we know that most students come back in the first instance to qualify for remission and do stay in the Territories through the remission of their loans.

We do also an occasional survey to try to follow up with people who have received funding to attend post-secondary institutions. While I don’t have those numbers with me, we have tabled in the past the post-secondary indicator book and that is available on our website...

Perhaps, Madam Chair, I could have Mr. Barbour answer that question.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I say, it’s an application-based fund. So a student can fill out an application form and from that application form, it will be determined if they qualify for some of this repayable loan funding. The sort of factors that come into play are children and childcare costs, the cost of a program that is being taken and the Member talked about whether there is any money in the bank. There is an assumption with the SFA program that you will earn some money during the summer break. So that sort of expectation is factored into the calculations. It is a formula that is...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The intention is to make that sort of definition in the regulations. That will happen after consultation after the act is passed and before it is brought into force.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That’s correct. It’s not necessarily something that follows on after a student has used up all of their 12 semesters if they qualify for 12 semesters of remissible funding. There are many students who access needs assessed funding. This funding is all needs assessed. You have to apply for the money and demonstrate a need for it, but that can be available to you beginning in the first semester if you have a need for the extra funding. So this money is over and above the basic grant and the remissible loans, yes.