Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment answered our colleague from Kam Lake that he heard about the news from the college that the social work program was being cut. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please tell this House when he heard the social work program was going to be phased out? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The college was provided a budget reduction target, and those discussions happened back in September. In cooperation and consultation with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the college identified a number of proposed reductions to look at meeting this target, and that was known to me in November 2016 and was confirmed in December, and then they became part of the main estimates. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I would like to thank the Minister for his answer. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my address about the budget, communication is poor. Thursday was another example of why I say we have poor communication in this House. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise the House when we on this side will get a full briefing on why this program was phased out?
I would be pleased to sit down with committee and discuss some of these reductions within the college at the convenience of committee, whenever there is time. I would be more than happy to do that.
I would like to thank the Minister for his answer. That is encouraging. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I spoke about how the college communicated with its students via email. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister please advise this House if the college has a communication policy that they use when informing students about changes and if this policy was adhered to on Thursday?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Aurora College does not have a specific communications policy in regards to informing students of changes in programming. Aurora College does operate on the principle that students should be provided as much notice as possible in regards to changes, and students are normally provided information via email. We feel at this time, in terms of the program and phasing out the program, plenty of time.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I may disagree. Communication via email is probably not the process I would do, and I would actually encourage the staff at the college to work with the students and tell them face up and tell them what is going on.
As I said in my Member' statement today, the college has decided that this will be the last year for intake for Northerners wishing to take the social work program. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise this House what will happen to the students who are taking this access program presently to get ready for the social work program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Aurora College has met with each of the five access students who are going to be impacted. These private meetings were to discuss options, both at the Aurora College for other possible programming or other postsecondary institutions, depending on what the students' career path needs are, and interests, so they have met with them to move forward and helping them look at where they want to go in their career. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
