EdinburghNLP/nunavut-hansard-plusplus huggingface dataset:
Is there like a dollar figure per student.
How much more money are they getting to survive on with that increase?
I would first like to point out that there’s a big difference between the amounts of dollars that any student gets.
It depends on whether that individual is by himself or if they have a family.
For example, if there was a single student, they get 290 dollars.
There would be a 20 percent increase in this figure or if a student has children, up to six dependents, they would receive 1500 dollars per month and there would be a 20 percent increase on this amount.
There is a range that a student is eligible for but that would take too long and this particular summary was from the lowest amount to the highest.
Mr. Chairman, does the program differentiate the amount eligible depending on whether a student is going to school here in Nunavut or is obtaining, attending school or post secondary education in the south?
No, they all get the same rate whether they’re attending school in Nunavut or down south.
Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the minister could inform us if that’s something that they looked at in the review of student financial assistance considering the much higher cost of living here in Nunavut.
That an increased amount be set aside for students that are going to school here in Nunavut.
We all know, and we have heard many times in this House, that the cost of living is sometimes three times higher than it is in the south, looking at changing the program so that students living in Nunavut get an increased amount to match the higher cost of living here in Nunavut.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you. In the review they have been looking into this issue and in this review, when you go to school in the north as compared to the south, we know as well that the tuition is a lot higher than the tuition that is paid up here in Nunavut.
I don’t know if the program is still the same or not.
Under student financial assistance, the tuition was paid for separately by the Department of Education.
I guess I’m talking about the living allowances.
The minister had indicated that they did look at it.
Maybe I could ask him, if they did look at it, what were the results of their findings and if he could explain that to us.
The living allowances of the students are separate from the school tuitions that have to be paid.
There is also the rent that’s paid out by the student.
In the south, the students pay a lot more for rent than the students going to school in Nunavut.
So is the minister stating that as a result of their review, that there is going to be no difference in the cost of living for a student in Nunavut or in the south?
In Nunavut the students whether they’re going to be going down south or not, they can apply for the financial assistance for students.
When you look at the figures, either way you don’t lose out as much because when we compare the entire figures for expenses, the expenditures become roughly equal.
I just want to ask this because I know, in the last couple of years I have had relatives and friends that were taking programs through the College here in Iqaluit and on numerous times I receive calls asking me if we could go out hunting to get some meat because they did have any food.
They didn’t have any money for food and I think that, as a result of that, it was not only, some of those were nursing students and teachers in the TEP program; different programs.
The fact is it does cost more, groceries cost more up here and things like that.
I think that the department should really take a look at having a different rate.
Tables have been done, if you look at our Northern Allowance it is based on what it costs per community.
Maybe look at adjusting the student financial assistance rate to equal like the percentage increase that the northern allowance is done on each community which would make up for the difference in the cost of living.
I like to ask if he would be willing to take a look at doing that to provide additional support to students going to the college here in Nunavut.
Yes, with his comments I will note them and also include them in the review.
Even after the review, we will always have time to review our programs and services if a problem arises.
I will take the member’s comments under advisement.
Mr. Chairman, last year we just had I think 3.1 million dollars set aside for student financial assistance.
I was wondering if all of that money was used.
Were there students that had applied for funding under this program that were turned down because there were insufficient funds in that program?
Yes, we depleted most of the funds last year and we did not deny any applicants from last year’s budget.
So, we actually used all the funds allocated to this area.
Mr. Chairman, so then the whole 3 million 142 thousand dollars was used up last year in student financial assistance.
I guess to tie into that even though it’s not in here the 2 million dollars that was mentioned earlier for student loans.
Was that amount used up last year as well?
I apologize I switched your names.
We just about used up all the funds in the budget line item for students.
The student loans were adequate for all the applications for loans.
I’m just wondering if you could provide a total number of funds that were dispersed in student financial assistance, like an actual number and the number of students that were helped by that.
And the same thing with the student loans, the total amount of loans that were dispersed and the number of students that utilized that program.
I do have the calculations here and at the appropriate time I will give the information to the members.
Would you like to continue Mr. Tootoo?
I wouldn’t mind seeing those numbers as soon as possible.
It would reflect on some questioning that I may have depending on what the numbers are and maybe ask the minister too, if he has this year’s numbers, does he have the previous year’s numbers as well so we can take a look at it and see what the trend is; to see whether things are the same or if things have increased or decreased over the last couple of years.
Our department has the information for 2001/2002, last year’s and also we will have the information ready in two or three weeks for this fiscal year’s information.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Kilabuk.
Would you like to continue?
I guess we won’t be able to hang onto this budget until after we get that information so, I look forward to getting it and hopefully there won’t be any questions arising out of the information.
I want to go back to a comment that my colleague from Baker Lake mentioned earlier and that’s the revolving fund for student loans.
It was indicated that it’s not shown in the main estimates and I’d just like to ask if you have an explanation.
Other revolving funds are in here.
The fur one, the fuel one, all those other revolving funds are included in the main estimates under the appropriate departments.
I’d just like to ask if he knows right now why this one isn’t included.
Yes, it’s not written down in our papers here under the revolving fund.
We’ll look into it and find out where it is because we don’t see it in the budget for the Department of Education.
We’ll find out where it is, get the information, and find out where it is; under which budget line item it has been placed.
Once we get that information, I will give the information to the members.
Mr. Tootoo: Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I’m watching my clock and I’ve only got one minute and ten seconds left to ask questions.
Then I’ll have to have a break and let someone else ask some questions.
But I do have some more questions.
Moving on to the college contributions, to support Arctic College and provide costs for funding to the college.
I’d like to ask the minister if that covers off the funding that the college receives to provide programs throughout Nunavut?
Yes, the budget is for all Nunavut Arctic Colleges.
Your last question, Mr. Tootoo.
My last question for now: I know it covers all of Nunavut Arctic Colleges in Nunavut.
My question was what programs does it cover, does it cover all the programs that the college offers?
If it doesn’t cover all of them, what are we getting as a result of the funding under that item in the budget?
Yes, we provide funding to Nunavut Arctic College facilities in all the regions, in the three regions for the regional campuses.
It is shown here how much each regional office receives in funding annually in the main estimates, and it moves from one to the other depending on the need and we provide funding for the community colleges.
My question is in regards to page 9-11.
It was brought up earlier but I’d like to raise this question because there’s a student going to school in Ottawa to a law school and she’s never received assistance from the Nunavut government.
She is not receiving assistance down in Ottawa from Nunavut, and it is only due to the good grace of the Indians living there that she is continuing her education.
There are other students, such as police recruits that are attending courses down south and I’m wondering why this is the case where they don’t receive assistance, even though they are from Nunavut.
This issue is part of the eligibility criteria and evaluation process and policy; perhaps if the member could give us some information or details about this situation, then we could come up with the proper answer to the question and relay it to all the members.
When these kinds of situations come up, where the student is not eligible for financial assistance, I feel uncomfortable in dealing with one particular student but I’ll be able to provide them with that information about the criteria for student financial assistance along with the appeals process.
Like the minister stated, these individuals are able to receive financial assistance but the example I used was in relation to one student, but there are a few individuals that took RCMP training and they never received financial assistance and are employed in the north, but they never received any assistance whatsoever.
This has to be kept under further consideration.
The other question I have is in relation to the two million dollars, is there any other hidden amount that we could look at other than what’s written here in these figures?
Chairperson (interpretation): Rebekah, this is a good point that you are raising in regards to the three years of our government’s existence.
I am sure that your question will be noted and that it will be dealt with in the near future.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Under the revolving fund no, Mr. Chairman.
You want to continue, Madam Williams.
Under 9-13, Trades Program, the figure is 299 thousand dollars and it was 673 thousand in the previous year’s Main Estimates.
Why is there a decrease of about half of this funding?
Are trades students decreasing?
What is the reason for the decrease?
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Madam Williams. Under 9-13 it is a part of the previous page though.
There are different funds which we are given within the fiscal year.
One is a one time funding allocation that we receive within the year and some are part of surplus funds for special programs or projects.
We received this one time funding allocation last year and that is the reason why there’s a seeming decrease in the figures.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Under the same issue.
Are there fewer people taking the trades programs?
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): No, under the trades programs, the numbers haven’t decreased.
Ms. Williams (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In my constituency, there was an individual that was interested in taking a trades program and he was told that he would have to pay for his own expenses.
I am sure that in some cases that the students are told that if they want to take that course, then they will have to pay their own expenses.
I would like to know exactly how many trades students there are at this time.
Hon. Peter Kilabuk (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ll get my Assistant Deputy Minister to respond.
Madam Okpik.
For the trade students presently taking courses, there are probably about 137 taking the program and these are individuals going into different fields like carpentry, electrical or mechanical courses and in one community there is also an air brakes program as well as an accounting program.
There are other courses that communities would like to take on, which are the preliminary trades courses and these can be noted as needs for Nunavut.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Madam Okpik.
Ms. Williams: I am going to ask this one in English.
Projected funding for the trades program is nearly half of the amount of 2001 – 2002.
It is related to the question that I was asking.
How does the department intend to address the growing need for developing trade schools with these kinds of resources?
If they’ve been cut, how is this department going to meet the growing needs off all Nunavut?
In making up for what appears to be a reduction in the estimates, we are at the same time making up for the reduced estimates through other partnership arrangements.
The one that has been very successful is through the Labour Market Development Agreement with the Federal Government.
As a matter of fact, there were 124 apprentices in 2001/2002 through that program.
It appears that the amount of third party funding through Labour Market Development Agreements has decreased.
It has decreased just slightly.
The LMDA that we’ve received has decreased just slightly.
I think this question was raised to the minister during question period at an earlier date and he was going to get back to the member.
Could he give us an update as to how many programs are provided in Nunavut annually at the Arctic College?
That information was given to me.
It identifies which programs are available annually and there’s still some information that I need to collect as there are some questions I need answered before I provide this information to the members.
But I will be able to provide them to the members next week.
For the programs that are available in Nunavut, is the mining trade included, the petroleum trade, or the nursing program?
Because this concern Mr. Havioyak had about mining trades, will those programs be available and if they are presently not available, will they be available in the future?
These are programs that are available in the Arctic College and have been for a number of years.
There is a calendar available and the calendar identifies what programs are available at the Arctic College.
Presently we are gathering information and some of the programs are out of date and no longer offered, so when we reviewed this further, we found that we will need staff to collect information as to what programs are needed, what courses are needed at the college. If we had these staff we’d have a better idea of what is needed in Nunavut.
In regards to mining programs we’d like to work with the mining companies so that courses are made available.
We are working with the department of Sustainable Development to work towards this goal and to look at what is required to offer this course.
This 14 million 318 thousand dollars, I’m not sure if this will go through or will be approved because we’re not made aware of what programs will be offered, what are the recurring programs.
I don’t mind the one time programs, the programs that are made available in Nunavut for that one time.
We still do not have any information about the recurring programs available at the Arctic College, but we are expected to approve this 14 million dollar budget.
The minister is not able to respond as to what is available and that this information will be provided to us next week.
I think only after we’ve been informed of what is available would we be able to approve the main estimates.
Like if we don’t know what the money is going to be used for I don’t think it’s possible for us to approve it.
But, I’d like to ask the Chairperson what Arctic College does.
What courses are available and where.
Because we know that there is a Nunatta Campus, Kivalliq Campus, there are staff working and I think the minister should be aware of how this money will be spent.
For instance, there is 14 million 318 thousand dollars in the Main Estimates for 2002 - 2003 and they should be able to identify what this money will be spent on during the calendar year and this is why we are requesting this funding.
I’m wondering if they’re going to be putting together a calendar because one of the members was wondering if there would be courses available or programs available for nursing, RCMP training or other training that is often requested.
We want to assist these students and we hope this money benefits the students in Nunavut but we will be able to approve it only after we know what the money will be geared towards.
When will we be able to see what this is used for?
Yes, I would like to make it clear for the member that in these Main Estimates have already been agreed to, we were not asked to provide the information on the yearly programs or courses offered at the Nunavut Arctic College, and I really noted the member’s statement that he does not want to approve the Main Estimates because he has a lack of information regarding these programs.
If you don’t mind Mr. Chairman, I would like the individual responsible for Arctic College to explain that and that they be allowed to sit here for a little bit.
Perhaps if I can ask Mr. Arvaluk if it’s okay with him for that individual to come and sit here.
Mr. Arvaluk (interpretation): Yes, I don’t mind.
Can he come in right away?
Minister Kilabuk if you could provide the name of your official before he starts answering questions related to these Main Estimates.
The individual’s name from Nunavut Arctic College, who is just sitting down on my right is Mr. Bruce Rigby.
Mr. Rigby is presently the head of Nunavut Arctic College and he will probably be able to answer Mr. Arvaluk’s question in relation to the types of programs that are offered at Arctic College.
Mr. Rigby.
Mr. Rigby: Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The honourable member has asked about the budget of the college and what it’s used for.
The appropriation that we are requesting is part of the proposed college’s budget because as members are aware, the college obtains its funds, or additional funds from other sources as well through third party contracts and other arrangements with the Federal Government and their agencies.
The monies that are included in the budget are to operate the headquarters function, which is based in Arviat, the three regional campuses in Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay and in Iqaluit and 24 learning centres in the communities in Nunavut.
The college is funded through these appropriations for education programs but not necessarily for training programs.
There are eight core programs that the college offers.
They are offered throughout Nunavut with the college’s intention in line with the decentralization policy of the government and in line with the Bathurst Mandate, that the programs be accessible to all Nunavummiut throughout Nunavut.
At Nunatta Campus, in Iqaluit, the four programs which are core programs based at that campus are the Nunavut Teacher Education Program, the Environmental Technology Program, the Fine Arts Program and the Language and Culture Program.
At the Kivalliq Campus, in Rankin Inlet, the core program that is based there is Management Studies and Community Administration.
The core program which is based at the Kitikmeot Campus in Cambridge Bay is Social Work and Drug and Alcohol Counselling.
Chairperson (interpretation): Thank you, Mr. Rigby.
In the main estimates, the department has identified for example, in the directorate or in the income support what the monies are to be used for.
Even though Arctic College’s request for 14 million dollars is under grants and contributions, college contribution, the simple request from my fellow colleague was to identify in a similar way as your main estimates, the way the President just explained.
All I’m asking is can we have that on paper sometime before we approve this.
Perhaps it’s good enough now, it will be in Hansard.
Because we really don’t know what the college contribution is.
I’m grateful Mr. Chairman, that the President has identified a couple.
The only question that I have left, Mr. Chairman, is that if the other campuses, like Kivalliq and the Kitikmeot, are they big enough to include other programs that we feel, at least Nunavummiut feel, should be ongoing or considered as core.
For example, nursing, nursing it can carry on for many many years without actually fulfilling all the communities’ needs for Inuit Nurses.
I am just making that suggestion because we know that it could for a long term.
The other consideration is a Policing Program.
The training could go on for many many years without filling all the 26 communities with Inuit Policemen.
These kinds of things.
Can the Kitikmeot or Kivalliq Campuses handle more programs or are they too small to handle any more programs, like Iqaluit has four.
To the question of the member, I will get the Nunavut Arctic College President, Mr. Rigby, to respond to that question.
Chairperson (interpretation): I am sorry.
Mr. Rigby: The Honourable Member would be interested to know that the College’s approach to delivering training is not primarily at the three major campuses.
It is our intent as we build the college systems to provide training when and where it is required.
Although the Honourable Member has asked about the three main campuses, we are offering major programs, diploma programs, and certificate programs throughout communities, whether it is Pangnirtung, or Kugaaruk, or wherever.
The idea is to identify delivery which is both cost effective and is convenient and appropriate for our student population.
Our intent is not necessarily to build up the three campuses, but build up the capacity through the territory as a whole.
The Honourable Member, Mr. Havioyak, asked about mining training.
Rather than centralizing it in one location, those kinds of programs may be better delivered closer to the source, or closer to the clientele.
That will be our approach in terms of delivery, not necessarily to build up campuses per se; the campuses will be used as co-ordinating centres, with the program being delivered where and when it is needed in partnership as required and things like that.
I could understand Mr. Hunter’s concern, the time goes very fast when it becomes interesting.
Mr. Chairman, I am glad about that, I guess what I am saying is that the program people who organize these things can work out of anywhere, especially campuses in the Kitikmeot and the Kivalliq.
I welcome the programs that can be delivered in the communities.
Even if the programs are delivered in the communities, can they be considered as core programs that can go on an annual basis, if it takes four years, every four years, that kind of thing?
The mining, if it is run in Kugluktuk that particular year, if the course is completed can this also be run in Pond Inlet, or Iqaluit, or wherever the program is being held?
Even though it moves around, it can be repeated on an annual basis.
These are the types of programs presently operated by the Nunavut Arctic College.
It is an ongoing thing but they have been moved to different communities, depending on the number of students available to take a certain course from the communities.
Say for instance, if somebody wants to take the Teacher Education Program, what they used to do was to bring them over here.
I mean, what they used to do was to have the training here.
This was the way it was, but due to the requests and demand by the students to have it closer to home, it has been branched out, there are three communities providing the Teacher Education Program.
As long as there are a certain number of students that would like to take the same course and there are enough potential students, then we can train those people in the communities.
How many students do we have now in the core programs in Nunavut?
I talked with the President of Nunavut Arctic College and he informed me that we would have to get that information for the member to give him an accurate number.