Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did some additional research and I have some additional questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about his decision to dismiss the Aurora College board of governors in May. According to the board minutes posted on the college web site from the February meeting, "Individual board members brought forward their concerns over the budget cuts, specifically the impact on students, regional centres, and staff." Can the Minister tell us what consultation he did with the board prior to announcing the changes to the teacher education and social...

Will the Minister table the 2013 assessment of the college by Cleveland Consulting so that the public can assess the value for money of that assessment?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my statement, the terms of reference and the group of people to be consulted for the Aurora College foundational review are very similar to the assessment of the college completed in 2013. Why is another assessment of the college necessary at this point? That is my question for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, shortly after the end of the last session I received a copy of a confidential assessment of Aurora College completed in 2013. After reading the report I wonder why the college is being studied again less than four years later. It would take less time and cost less money to follow through with the recommendations that were made then.

The 2013 study focused on the college's purpose, its roles and responsibilities with respect to the Education Minister and his department, and to "strengthen the college and its successes." The consultant met with everyone and anyone...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to push back on that statement. I do not recall any of the Regular MLAs saying that they wanted the board dismissed and that this was something that they wanted to see in connection with the foundational review. What I want to say is that those minutes which I have just referenced indicate clearly that the Minister and the board were on different pages. The obvious question is: did the Minister decide to dismiss the board so they would not have any further pushback about the changes he wants to make at the college? Mahsi.

The minutes of that February meeting go on to say, "The board also noted their disappointment in how the decisions were brought forward with little consultation or discussion with the board." Does the Minister recall this statement from his February meeting with them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take that as a commitment that the Minister will explore each and every way to make this document public. On March 6th of this year, the Minister said in the House, and I quote, "The timeline for completion of this new foundational review is fall 2017, with an implementation target of 20182019 academic year." Can the Minister update the House when the foundational review will be completed? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that response. He started to answer my second question, which is: what has changed within the college and the department in the last four years that makes a new groundup study necessary? It goes way beyond having a new labour market forecast. The original 2013 study looked at governance, strategic planning, relationships between the Minister and the department, and so on, so what else has changed to make a new study necessary?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge my constituent Mayor Mark Heyck and thank him for his leadership and his service.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 77(1) of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to advise the House that I have a conflict of interest in Bill 30: Health Statutes Law Amendment Act. This bill amends the Public Health Act to clarify that the Commissioner may make regulations respecting cremations and crematoria. Mr. Speaker, my spouse is a funeral planner and, as such, has a private interest in this bill. I will excuse myself from the Chamber during consideration of this matter. Masi, Mr. Speaker.