Debates of October 29, 2025 (day 70)

October
29
2025
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
70
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay MacDonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 33: Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act
Committee Motion 84-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates, Carried
Committee Motion 85-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 386-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2024-2025, Carried
Committee Motion 86-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 387-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, Carried
Committee Motion 87-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 388-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, Carried
Committee Report 30-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner,
Committee Report 31-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Office of the Ombud and the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner,
Committee Report 32-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission,
Committee Report 33-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly
Follow-up to Oral Question 797-20(1): Wildfires in Tlicho Lands
Member’s Statement 777-20(1): Accountability Mechanisms under the Residential Tenancies Act
Member’s Statement 778-20(1): Mine Closure and Remediation in the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 779-20(1): Support for Affordable Childcare
Member’s Statement 780-20(1): Government Approach to Traditional Use Cabins
Member’s Statement 781-20(1): Economic Outlook for the Northwest Territories
Member’s Statement 782-20(1): Early Learning and Literacy Programming
Member’s Statement 783-20(1): Homeownership and Transfer of Market Rental Units to long-Term Tenants
Member’s Statement 784-20(1): Access to Assessments for School-aged Children
Member’s Statement 785-20(1): Celebration for Mike Rowe
Member’s Statement 786-20(1): Auditor General’s Performance Audit on housing in the Northwest Territories
Minister’s Statement 160-20(1): Update on Residential Schools Monument
Minister’s Statement 161-20(1): Release of the Auditor General’s Peformance Audit
Question 870-20(1): Surety Bonds for Environmental Remediation and Reclamation
Question 871-20(1): Renewal of the Literacy Strategy
Question 872-20(1): Assessments for School-aged Students
Question 873-20(1): Support for Affordable Daycare Providers
Question 874-20(1): Traditional Use Cabins
Question 875-20(1): Homeownership and Transfer of Ownership of Market Rental Units to Tenants
Question 876-20(1): Transfer of Commissioner’s Lands to Municipalities
Question 877-20(1): Public Housing in Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh
Question 878-20(1): Assessment of Fiscal Capacity of Mine Operators
Question 879-20(1): Out-of-Country Medical Coverage Policy
Question 880-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance
Question 881-20(1): Electronic Medical Records
Question 882-20(1): Dog Act Policy and Regulations
Question 883-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance
Question 884-20(1): Transition to British Columbia Curriculum
Question 885-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance
Question 886-20(1): Downtown Yellowknife Encampment Fire Safety
Question 887-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance
Tabled Document 418-20(1): Budget Dialogues 2025 – What We Heard
Tabled Document 419-20(1): Letter Dated July 8, 2025, from Mayor of Yellowknife to Minister of Finance regarding the City’s Budget Submission Supporting the Transfer of Commissioner’s Land to the City of Yellowknife
Statements

Question 885-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, turning to SFA again, it occurs to me that we haven't asked that fundamental question: Is this going to happen again in the next intake, or has the Minister fixed this capacity gap? Are we going to have enough capacity to process the applications to ensure there are no more late payments, everyone gets the resources they need on time to succeed at school? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member for Range Lake. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, the first priority for this fall is to make sure we get applications processed as quickly as possible and we're focusing on getting those dollars out to students, even students who had their applications in late. I know that stuff comes up. And it is my number one priority to see those payments flow and those applications to be processed.

Second to that, Mr. Speaker, it is going through the process to make sure that we are looking at the entire student financial assistance application process, finding efficiencies, and making sure that we're well prepared for next year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the problem has been identified publicly as more applications than there were previously that overwhelmed existing resources. Is that the case? Thank you.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, there was almost a 20 percent increase in applications this year. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Range Lake.

Thank you. Well, I think about the people who have to process these applications; they must be very overworked. Is the Minister going to bring forward additional staffing resources in the coming year to ensure that there's 20 percent more capacity at SFA? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we took on five additional staffing positions this summer in order to work to accommodate that, and throughout the year, while we prepare for the surge of -- that we hope to see again in 2026, we'll make sure that we're reviewing the efficiencies of the process to ensure that we're doing our part to ensure that we're prepared because we want to see students go to post-secondary, and we want to see more and more students using post-secondary. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.