Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the committee would like to take under consideration Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Securities Act; Bill 14, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2018; Bill 15, Document Formalization, Service and Notice Reform Statute Law Amendment Act; Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act; and Bill 17, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I appreciate that there are areas that can improve and, if the Minister is certain that these opportunities cannot be made, then I will ask this. Everything hinges on the ADM, this new ADM position that is out for hire. When is the Minister going to have that position in place so we can start making progress on Aurora College?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My honourable friend the Member for Yellowknife Centre was asking the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about the social work program. This program has long been a subject of interest of this Assembly. Without any student intake, it's currently withering on the vine, and now we hear we have even more delays, which is conveniently linked to my statement earlier today. So I will ask the Minister from the Member for Kam Lake: is this program going to be allowed to wither on the vine, or are we going to set new direction to allow intake until the full...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak on a topic which I know is on the minds of many Northerners. Aurora College.

When most of us were elected in 2015, we made post-secondary education and the future of the college a key campaign issue, so it was not a surprise that made its way into our mandate. Yet, after three years, we are no further ahead on post-secondary education and a renewed mandate for Aurora College than when we started. I, like many others, am concerned by the tone and shape this conversation has taken. We have seen a report published advising the GNWT of how...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the department cannot succeed in hiring this position, what is the Minister's backup plan? Are we still going to move ahead with changes, or does everything stall until we can fill that position? Thank you.

So the social work program as it is, could the Minister make the improvements or some of the improvements that are indicated in that review, which is now public information? Could the Minister implement some of those recommendations now, improve the program and get it working the way it should to fill the much-needed gap in social workers, that are indicated in the government's own Skills 4 Success strategy?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize two of my constituents from the fine riding of Kam Lake, Ms. Heather Nakehk'o and Deneze Nakehk'o. Thank you for being here today.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress.

That covers the mechanical aspects of repairing this issue, but there will be more costs required for the backup diesel system. Can the Minister speak to what the equivalent cost to generate the loss of 15 per cent of power through diesel is? Is he aware of those numbers now? Can he share them with the House?