Debates of October 21, 2005 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I look behind me and I see all these students from the school here in Yellowknife, and some day they'll be applying for SFA when they go to college. I'm sure people here wouldn't want to have their decisions made from an office in Inuvik or Fort Smith. So I would like to ask the Minister of Education, why are there no regional offices in the NWT with the authority to make decisions? Thank you.

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

Return To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, there are no offices in the student financial assistance system that can make decisions that would have changed the situation the Member spoke of in his Member's statement today. The way our system is set, the officers have no power to overrule the regulations, and the regulations have to be followed explicitly. So a more important issue is, what can we do to make the regulations work for the students? The Member has brought an important issue to light here, where the regulations, in this situation, cost the government more money than if we had been able to do what was probably the sensible thing and pay for the travel. So I have ensured that we are taking a look at how we can address that issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Supplementary To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister talks about regulations. I'm sure these regulations aren't written in stone, and I'm sure we do have the authority, or I'd like to know if the Minister has the authority to overrule some of these decisions, based on facts, not on regulations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, the current situation is that the Minister cannot overrule the regulations. So the way that we deal with issues when they come to our attention, that we have a problem like the one that the Member has brought up, is we look at how we can change the regulations to go forward in ways that we can recognize better results. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister look at establishing regional offices that have the authority to make decisions for the students, once these regulations are changed? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have looked at this issue, in terms of student financial assistance officers. Given the nature of the program and how it works, in that all of the applications come in in a very short period of time, typically two times a year, there aren't enough dedicated staff to spread out across the Territories in a cost-effective way. I am certainly prepared to work with Members to see how we can strengthen the work of the regional offices, to make sure that they're working with students to help them navigate their way through the system. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister spoke of dedicated staff across the Northwest Territories. I'm sure there are not dedicated staff or positions here in Yellowknife that could move across the Northwest Territories. So my final question to the Minister, with this particular constituent that I'm dealing with, the Minister says we can't overrule the decision. So will he look into this constituent's concern and make a good business decision, or is this a final decision? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 212-15(4): Regional Student Financial Assistance Services

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Ministers cannot overrule a regulation like this and change the situation retroactively. I am committed to looking at the situation and making a change to the regulations, to ensure that we don't run into this sort of situation again. My goal would be to establish a policy whereby travel assistance is provided on a cash basis, so that everybody can look after their own travel themselves, and we don't get into this sort of situation where we pay minute attention to where people are travelling from or how they're travelling. Thank you.