Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of ECE in regard to my statement earlier on income support. Is the Minister looking to make changes to the income support program in the future? Thank you.
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the income security programs for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment underwent extensive review and changes in the 19th Assembly. We were able to implement those changes just last year, so they still have not undergone a full year in the new system. And so I think this is a time where we are certainly watching to see how those changes are being implemented so that we can establish if changes -- further changes are needed in the future. Thank you.
One of the questions I had was when will these changes -- how will -- what time do you anticipate the changes will take effect and be the changes that are going to be used in the income support program? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So these changes took effect last year, in the fall of last year, and so they're still certainly in their infancy as people get used to them and as we see how they're impacting communities. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Deh Cho.
I don't know if the Minister will have this information now, Mr. Speaker. But can she tell me what changes were made. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So overall, there was more money afforded to the program. One of the most distinctive changes was that persons with disabilities and people who are elders and seniors were placed into their own separate program, and so now there's the income assistance for persons with disabilities and seniors, and there's the income assistance for adults’ program as well. The income assistance for adults’ program is for persons who are 19 to 59 years old. And within the income assistance program as well, people -- there were other exemptions that were income exemptions that were included in the program, and then there was also exemptions for earned income that was included as well. So people who are wanting to start working more are able to keep more of their earned income today, so it acts as kind of a grace period as they're working their way out of needing that support on a month-to-month basis. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from the Sahtu.
