Debates of August 22, 2007 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement, I spoke to the SFA benefits and some of the changes that I had hoped to see. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if there have been any changes made to the SFA assistance based on the cost of living where the students are going to school. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an issue that has been brought up a few times over the last year. It is something that I have promised that the department will have a look at and try to move forward on. At this point though, we have not been able to propose any changes to our system.

We have reviewed what other jurisdictions are doing. Notably, British Columbia does have a system that recognizes the higher costs of the northern part of the province. So our intent is to, after finishing that review, looking for other examples across Canada and looking at the cost of living differentials, come back over the course of the next year and propose some changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. It is encouraging to hear that we are hoping to make some changes within the next year, but we have been hearing from the people across the Territories that are going to school here for a few years now, so we should base our decision on what they are saying and not what we are hearing from somewhere else. I would like to ask the Minister if this is a decision that has to be made through legislation or is it a policy decision that he can just sign off before his term is up? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I can sign off on it as long as I ignored the wrath of the Minister of Finance, clearly because there would be some financial costs for us to make changes to the program. It is an issue that will have to be proposed as an initiative that would be considered as part of the budget process. The Member talked about not necessarily looking at other examples. What we are doing is trying to look for examples of how this has been done in other jurisdictions rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. So we agree that it is a good idea. We want to find ways to ensure that northern students are encouraged to attend the northern colleges that we have such an investment in. So we are very seriously looking at how we can accommodate this idea.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister’s reply to the opening address yesterday, he said there are two outstanding issues that weren’t resolved. I think he meant just his. It is a good thing he didn’t count ours in there. It would have been a lot more than two. As far as the Minister of Finance goes, I share a community with him so I can possibly work on him for the Minister of Education. It just astounds me that something that has been asked to the Minister so many times and brought to their attention so many times, that they are not bringing this forward. It is something that people want. They are having to wait a long time. I would like to ask the Minister why is it taking so long to listen to the voice of the people, hear what they want? Why is it taking so long to act on it? It is just confusing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, if the Department of Education, Culture and Employment had an independent source of revenue, it wouldn’t take very long at all. But since we have to look at all of our initiatives across government and work together to try and find which ones are the ones that are going to be funded, it is one that has to be done through the budget process. So the earliest that that is going to happen is going to be the budget that is considered in the spring of 2008. I have no doubt that the next government will look at this as a very important initiative and that the Members who are here in 2008 will be able to approve it for the next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.