Kieron Testart

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of funding to Aurora College.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 224 electronic signatures of Northwest Territories residents, and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories maintain funding to Aurora College in the 2017-2018 budget year and throughout the life of the current Assembly that is sufficient to allow the college to continue to offer all of its existing programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am sure the Minister is well aware that we are all eagerly awaiting the strategic plan and the process that will come forward from this. Can the Minister advise how the college will be used to support the Skills 4 Success strategic plan?

It looks like we are cutting off two programs that have direct relation with that strategy, so are we going to fill our labour gap solely on the backs of southern institutions, or are we going to build some programs here in the North that work to support that plan?

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I expect the debate will continue both here and in the House. This reduction around, I guess, around $3 million give or take, did the college decide to do this again because it looked internally and wanted to find efficiencies within and did this in an effort to streamlines its own operations so it provides better service to its students, or was this a decision that came through a mandate letter to identify reductions? Thank you.

So by my math, there is almost $32 million going to the college and then around $1 million going to College nordique and Dechinta. Does that account for the total amount of funding for post-secondary education, or is there some left over that is going somewhere else? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Perhaps, I will clarify. Unless I misheard, the Minister said that previous fiscal, this government provided $354,000 in funding to College nordique. I am wondering what we are providing in this budget for the coming fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm a bit confused. I've asked this question before, and previous to this it was not the responsibility of departments but the responsibility of the college itself. Perhaps the Minister can clarify: is this budget sufficient to solve this problem once and for all, or are students going to go through another academic year or fiscal year struggling with glycol leaks and general unpleasantness in their learning environment here in Yellowknife? Thank you.

Thank you. What is the total amount for both institutions that our government currently provides? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I will try my best to be brief. The line description for the information item mentions the Aurora Research Institute. How much of the building and works line in the amount of $7,385,000, how much of that is allocated to the Aurora Research Institute for laboratory and other research equipment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's strong commitments. Let's have more than words. Let's see action. Let's see dollar-for-dollar investment in this program. Every dollar he adds is going to dollars into our economy. Again, I will ask: will he commit to including that in a supplementary appropriation before the end of this calendar year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at the glossary on page 54. The community delivery line is programs offered through community learning centres. The Minister just mentioned the teacher program. Is that offered through community learning centres? My understanding is that was offered through the Thebacha campus. Thank you.