Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also would like to focus my questions to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Last year CanNor announced $6.8 million in support of adult literacy and basic education programs by Aurora College, with $2.5 million earmarked for this fiscal year. Promised programs included hiring of adult learning basic education instructors, trades access program funding, community basic education learning opportunities and a focus on short courses towards essential skills.
Can the Education Minister give a summary of programs delivered this year and whether all the federal funds will be productively expended as budgeted? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Obviously, any funding that we get is very much appreciated. CanNor funding has been allocated to the Northwest Territories through the Aurora College campus. We are going to utilize all of it to the best of our ability. Any funding that we receive, we need to exhaust all avenues.
We’ve been working closely with the college to identify what they’re planning to deliver, when it’s going to be delivered, how much it is going to cost, how ECE can get involved in that, how the community can get involved. It all takes partnership. It’s not only the college that will be delivering, but with the assistance of ECE and the assistance of the community. The community has to come on board as well. They are the true partners. They have the facilities in the communities. They have the resources in the communities and the people.
I can say at this point that we’re going to be exhausting the funding that’s available to us through those venues, through the various partnerships. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thanks for the Minister’s comments there. I hope the Minister will report to committee on what was achieved with the $2.5 million expenditure this year.
Unfortunately, ALBE and upgrading students are not eligible for student financial assistance. SFA, as it’s called, recognizes that people going to college and university need room and board, but apparently ALBE students don’t have these needs. With all this programming being funded to get people back to school, why is student financial assistance not available to adult learning basic education students? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, this is one of the recommendations brought to our attention during the SFA review. We are currently reviewing it, how we can best fit it into our programming. As you know, there have been several recommendations that were brought to our attention from the general public. We have initiated three or four of them already as a priority set by our government and also the general public, which is the most pressing need. It is before us and we are evaluating that.
You can rest assured that there are other fundings available, whether it be Labour Market Agreement. Individuals who do not qualify for EI can get trained. If those individuals want to upgrade, they go through various upgrade training programs and get ready for the workforce. There is also the ASETS program in the community. All of these different programs in the communities, as I stated, we need to work with them, the college, ourselves, ECE and also the communities. The more, the merrier; the bigger pot it is to train more manpower for the workforce. Those are areas we are continuing to work on with the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, thanks to the Minister once again. We have indeed had several reviews that have recommended that this funding be extended to adult learning and basic education students. We’ve received $8.6 million new funding to concentrate on upgrading and adult learning. Obviously, we want the intake of these students. It is also obvious that they need shelter and food as much as college and university students. The Minister recognizes these recommendations and mentions that there are many other programs.
Will the Minister act on the recommendations of the SFA and the ALBE program reviews, taking into consideration what else is available to make sure and bring forward a program for supporting ALBE students as these recommendations suggest? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, as I stated, there are other programs that can support these ALBE students. We’ve done that in the past. Some students can qualify for three or four different programs. SFA may not qualify for that, but at the same time, the Labour Market Agreement and other agreements are out there that can qualify. Those individuals can qualify. We also work with the Mine Training Society that delivers, whether it be underground training or surface training and various training initiatives, HEO and so forth. Those individuals qualify for training funds through my department and other various departments, as well, even at the community level. I can share the list of potential sponsorship that may be available to those individuals that want to get trained. Mahsi.
Final, short supplementary, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. This government talks fiscal restraint in the first two years of the mandate, before program expansions in the third and fourth years. We will have $4 million more in our federal ALBE funds to coincide with our return to funding, apparently, in response to human needs.
Again, will the Minister advance his case to provide the essential complementary support to make sure there are no gaps in these various programs of support for ALBE students? Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, a short answer will be that we are going to address all of those gaps that may be available in between various funding. We need to identify those. Again, I will be sharing that information with the Members. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
