Shane Thompson

Thank you, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I guess the concern I'm hearing, especially for some of the smaller communities, is, as I said, the expenses for this family are here, and they make too much money, but if they didn't do it, the kid can't go off to school, they can't provide food on the table, and that. So would the Minister be willing to get the department to look at this? At least look at it and see, as he talks about case-by-case situations, if they could look at that and give some discretion to their front-line workers in this area? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the Minister for that commitment. I guess my concern is that I am looking at the college and the things that the college is doing right now. Don't get me wrong; they are doing a good job in a number of areas there. However, if we remove the Teachers Education Program and we remove the Social Work Program, we are only going to have the Nursing Program left, if it offers a degree or a diploma in that. Can the Minister verify that I am mistaken, or is that the direction that the college is going? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thank the Minister for those answers. He kind of answered some of the questions that I had on my paper here. I apologize if there is a letter that we may or may not have received. I am not saying you did not send it. It is just somewhere out there, and I have not seen it. I am not blaming anybody. I guess my big concern, and I hear this all the time, is with the Senior Home Heating Subsidy and the thresholds and that. I realize that the department is looking at that, but how can we talk to the people in the smaller communities when an individual has to work so he can...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess it concerns me that we are voting on the appropriation today and we are not going to get it until later on.

I guess the next question is: if the Minister is going to be talking to the college, can he get us what other programs the college has reviewed in regard to their programs and when they have done those reviews? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I thank the Minister for that answer. So could he direct us where the money is being allocated? Because right now, they have Northern Youth Abroad, but there's no money on that line there, but I am assuming that it's in one of these other program areas. Could he just direct us to what area, what line that is in? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I was interviewed, part of the interview process was about the Social Work Program and the Teacher Education Program. Through the foundational review, one of the questions was in regards to that.

I guess I am a little concerned. The foundational review has this broad picture, and then the program review has a narrow picture. Is the Minister saying that the foundational review is the one that we are going to move forward with, or is it just saying that the foundational review will not be used when it comes to the social work and the TEP program? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I thank the Minister, and I don't take any offence at it, because I'm good trying to find things in here. So I greatly appreciate it, and I appreciate that information. So I guess we're going through a process here, and I'm just trying to understand: we've already put money into the system, correct? So are we going to see the plan at some point in time, after the consultation during this fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess this still concerns me, that we're expecting three to support Yellowknife, Sahtu, and Deh Cho, which is probably about two thirds of the school population in that area, and then we have three in the North. It does concern me there, but I guess it comes down to the simple fact that we need these positions and in the regions. I still have not bought into these teams of three. We're going to have costs. We're going to have more costs to get from here to the South Slave, from here to the Deh Cho. You know, there's going to be cost to it; and the Tlicho; I forgot all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I realize it was kind of a unique crossover with Finance, and I appreciate the Minister working with the Minister of Finance to get this information out there. With the challenges of no alternative fuels in the short term, how will the government mediate cost-of-living increases being imposed on residents by this carbon tax? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister confirm that we have guidance counsellors positions in Fort Providence, Fort Liard, and Fort Simpson presently? Thank you, Mr. Chair.