Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I spoke of students at Aurora College and specifically the Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith; students from Res and Lutselk'e having some issues with childcare subsidies. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment questions on that.
Mr. Speaker, would the Minister agree to complete an assessment or an examination of the child care subsidy for effectiveness? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular issue has been brought to our attention about the student that’s at Fort Smith Aurora College taking a program and being subsidized through our SFA programming. From what’s been shared with us, the funding has not been adequate, according to them, but we did receive some information on what they’re eligible for through SFA programming. I believe there has been additional funding assets and a child care subsidy, as well, through family allowance, I believe.
Mr. Speaker, after child care and all the expenses being paid, there is a small amount of surplus that they can easily take advantage of. At the same time, we will be reviewing the Student Financial Assistance throughout this year and we will be seeking input on how we can deal with these matters at hand. Mr. Speaker, we are currently going through steps to start reviewing the SFA program. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, the particular issue I speak of is not really a student financial assistance issue but rather an issue with the subsidy pertaining to child care. The Minister is right; the needs seem to be met through student financial assistance, because rents subsidies and other things are given to the students at a lower cost than the other people that are just in the community. However, what I am hoping that the Minister would do is examine the child care subsidy and consider how it accommodates the students. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, over the years we have looked at our policy, our programming on child care subsidy units. There have been some changes to the policy. We do look at these regulations that are before us. If we need to make changes that reflect on the needs of the students, then we have looked at those in the past as well. Since we are going through the SFA programming, we can relook at our child care subsidy, as well, to see where the challenges are.
Mr. Speaker, I did commit in this House already about the SFA programming. SFA does cover a vast area of subsidy programming for students. There are also the other subsidies, income support subsidy, as well, and child care subsidy. Mr. Speaker, we have looked at it in the past and we can look at it again. Mahsi.
Mr. Speaker, during the review of the subsidies or assistance and so on, would the Minister be prepared to look at increasing the income threshold that allows people to apply for child care subsidy? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, those are the discussions that will likely take place when we seek out information on SFA from the students and from the general public at large. We are going to be waiting for general response that we receive and then move forward on that, what needs to be changed within our current policy based on what has been asked from the general public, if we could pursue that. We will be waiting for those types of responses from the public. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Your final supplementary, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Although this is a constituent of mine that brought the issue to my attention, there are many other students with similar problems. Would the Minister commit to going to Fort Smith to meet with the student body on this issue of child care prior to the end of April? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I already did commit to visiting those students who are willing to sit down at the Thebacha Campus. I am probably going there the first week of April when we are having a tour of the Aboriginal Student Achievement Initiative in Hay River. We figure we might attach a trip to Fort Smith. We are still working on the logistics, but once that is confirmed, we will let the Members know. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
