Jackson Lafferty

Mr. Speaker, I did already commit to that. We will be considering those recommendations brought forward to our attention by the students, parents and general public on SFA overall review. We are going to make those changes. We will definitely come back to the standing committee and highlight what we are going to pursue. This is an area that has been brought to our attention today. I will definitely look at that as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The specifics of it, I don’t have in front of me, but an area that has been raised in this House will definitely be taken into consideration. This is an area that hasn’t been highlighted as part of other jurisdictions, as well, through post-secondary program. Of course, it doesn’t qualify as SFA programming, but there are other sources of funding that individuals can access. That is the Labour Market Agreement through the federal government that we have within the GNWT, within the ECE department. We are willing to assist in that area.

I would encourage the individual to...

Yes, we definitely support those individuals in those kinds of capacity to have up-to-date experience and training requirements. We continue to provide that training, whether it be the statutory officers, or whether it be the employment standards officers, and provide them as up-to-date information as we possibly can through the training. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The principle function of the employment standards officer is to administer the Employment Standards Act. The act sets out general rights and responsibilities and minimal requirements, fundamental principles of employment standards. The act also covers such areas of work, minimum wage, termination of employment, annual vacation, statutory holidays, pregnancy and parental leave. Those fall under the act, so it’s up to the officer to follow through according to the act. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Madam Chair. With me to my left is Gloria Iatridis, acting deputy minister of Department of Education, Culture and Employment; and to my right is Tricia Ralph, legislative advisor. Mahsi.

I am pleased to introduce Bill 1, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act. The purpose of this legislation is to raise the maximum aggregate of the principal amounts of all student loans that may be made by the Government of the Northwest Territories.

The maximum aggregate principal amount of student loans that the government may lend under the Student Financial Assistance Act is currently set at $36 million. The amendment proposes to increase this amount to $40 million for the fiscal year 2012-2013 and thereafter. This change is required to allow the Department of Education...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This particular motion, I will be tabling a document responding to the motion that was brought forward to this House. We are currently working on various logistical parts on the legislation itself, and working with other counterparts in the provinces and territories. This is a very big package that we are working towards, because it does deal with our Education Act as well. We will keep Members up to speed, as we move forward, but I will be tabling the document today. Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. The Member is asking for more detailed information and I can provide that to the Member on the process itself, how many appeals have been processed and so forth. I don’t have the specific details of the information on the monitoring mechanism, and I need to highlight to the Member in writing, and I will definitely get back to the Member. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, this particular program, transitional vocational through Grande Prairie College, is not a post-secondary program. As you know and Members know, SFA qualifies for post-secondary programming, but there are other sources of funding that is the Labour Market Agreement. It is not only for on-the-job training. There are other ways to work around the system where we have the funding through the federal government. That is one example.

Income assistance is another example. Employment Insurance, Aboriginal Skills and Training Strategy is another funding that is available, UCEP, University...

We do work closely with the employment standards officers. We have to make sure that they’re following the act. If an individual or a party is not satisfied with the decisions that are being made, there is an appeal process, as the Member alluded to. The employment standards appeal, adjudicators hear appeals by employers or employees who are not satisfied with the decision of the employment standards officers. There is a process that’s been established and we continue to work with that as well. Mahsi.