R.J. Simpson

Thank you. Part of the work to transform the college is ensuring that there is a funding formula in place so that these types of programs are costed. Right now that isn't in place although there is a budget for the programs, and it's the same budget that has existed since the programs were in existence. Thank you.

Yes, I do.

Thank you. So the financial supports that the department offers, they're available to any apprentices or employers you know, eligible employers anywhere. In terms of the programming being based in communities, part of the transformation of the college, you know, involves ensuring there is a presence in every community in the territory. What that presence will look like will be different elsewhere, but the idea is to make access to training more accessible in communities. So one of the central features of this transformation into a polytechnic is what the Member is talking about. We want to...

Yes, absolutely. And as I travel around the territory to the different regions, I speak to the career development officers and they talk about their ontheground engagement with industry and with Indigenous governments as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will make sure that we convey the entirety of this conversation to the courts. We'll provide them with the transcript, and we can have a discussion with them. Thank you.

Thank you. And as the Member knows or as the Member stated, that I can't make that commitment obviously on behalf of the college but it is on the record. It's on the record from this conversation and many letters and many other discussions we've had in the House. So the position of the Member and Fort Smith leadership is well known. Thank you.

I'll hand it to Mr. Saturnino.

Mr. Speaker, families encounter the family law system in some of life's most difficult moments, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to improving our family law processes to ensure we support families through these hard times. Today I am pleased to announce the launch of the NWT Child Support Recalculation Service.

This new service can, in eligible circumstances, recalculate child support amounts on an annual basis based on the parent’s income without having to go through the courts. This service is intended to reduce the time, expense, and stress that can result from...

Thank you. So if someone needs to or wants to take their apprenticeship courses and they're offered at the college, we will support them to go to the college. If they would like to take a program that's not offered by the college, then we'll support them to go elsewhere. But, you know, if they would just prefer to go to somewhere in Alberta for a program that is being offered at the college, we unless there is a I mean, there may be exceptions but generally the rule is that if a program is offered at the college, we support them to go to the college only. Thank you.

Thank you. I don't have that information. We do try to track that. I can provide the information that we do have to committee. But I don't have it on hand here. But the Member makes a good point. That's important. Data collection is always difficult in all the areas that we do our work, which makes it difficult to design and evaluate programs. But we are getting better, and I believe we do have some information that the Member will find useful and we will share it with her. Thank you.