Debates of May 28, 2004 (day 15)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week my honourable colleague, Mrs. Jane Groenewegen, spoke about the government’s responsibility to make clients aware of important program rules and criteria changes on a timely basis. It has come to my attention that this is not happening in some cases with the student financial assistance program and that is causing unfair hardship. In one particular case, I am aware that a student has signed a loan, a contract, Mr. Speaker, for 10 monthly instalments of $1,100 to help fund her education. Unfortunately, she has learned two months before the contract was to end that she would only be receiving nine instead of 10 payments of $1,100. Her school only runs five days into the month of June. Mr. Speaker, without getting into how the government can get away with the terms of a legally binding contract, I have to question the fairness of what is going on here. Most of us have experienced the stress of exams. I have to say personally, I am glad that they are long past. I know that the last thing that a student needs to go through in the middle of this is to find out that their financial support is being cut off. These students often engage in work placements and do not have time to find work hours beyond their studies. They depend on financial assistance to meet their basic needs while pursuing their studies. Mr. Speaker, this government actively promotes the value of higher education, and the benefits it offers to individuals in this whole Territory. We recognize that education is a worthwhile investment and it pays off many times over. That is why we have student financial assistance programs. Do we really want to create situations where students after months of study, and months of investment by the government, suddenly are faced with sacrificing vulnerable study time, or worse, dropping out so they can find work to pay bills for that last month that they are being cut off? Mr. Speaker, I think this is truly a shame. At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be offering questions to the Minister because I am concerned. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause