Nunavut post-secondary students to get extra $500 per semester
Education Department offering benefit while it revamps FANS program
Nunavut Education Minister Pamela Gross says an interim boost of $500 per semester will be available to eligible Nunavut Inuit students enrolled in post-secondary education. (Screen shot courtesy of Nunavut legislative assembly)
Nunavut students enrolled in a post-secondary institute got a jolt of good news Monday at the legislative assembly.
Education Minister Pamela Gross announced new interim funding for Inuit students who are already enrolled in the territory’s Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students, or FANS, program.
“Each student will now be eligible who receive $500, called a wellness benefit, per semester,” Gross said in a statement, citing the territory’s high cost of living.
The Department of Education is working on a comprehensive review of the FANS program, which provides financial support to Nunavut students studying in post-secondary institutions, along with representatives from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
The goal is to “completely revamp and re-envision” FANS, said the Department of Education Tuesday in a news release.
“What is evident from the work of the review is that increased funding, as well as other types of wrap-around support, are needed to better foster the success of our college and university students,” Gross said in the legislative assembly.
She said revamping the FANS program will take time, but her department knows students need more support now.
Gross said the new wellness benefit will continue to be offered until the revised FANS program is in place.
Eligible Inuit students who are already signed up with FANS will be contacted by the Education Department and should receive the new wellness benefit within the next several weeks.
Inuit students only? From the territorial government? From an Inuit org sure, but the government? This program is Financial Assistance for Nunavut Students, not Financial Assistance for Inuit Students.
Has anyone every explained to Gross the concept of systemic racism and how she is promoting it?
This money better be coming from NTI and not the taxpayer, if not, lawsuit time.
Unbelievable; It’s long time coming, Inuit have been underdogs in all aspects of Nunavut life, priority coming to transients. Can we just benefit without being bang on for change? I bet you have the best housing, best benefits, no food insecurity. So be a racist without being a perceive racist. This always works, and many practice it.
Are you serious when you say “Inuit have been underdogs in all aspects of Nunavut life, priority coming to transients.” ?
I have been living here and I own a house here for 10 years, I go to work everyday to pay $1000’s of dollars in mortgage costs every month and every week there is a new giveaway / handout here in Nunavut to Inuit. How can you even suggest you are all underdogs? Also housing for most Inuit only costs anywhere from $30 – $70 a month. Also you get free prescriptions, you got paid to get the vaccine for the Covid for god sakes, no one else did in this country. So please stop the lies.
Will you be suing the government for this one thing that is created for Inuit or will you be suing the government for all programs created for inuit? There are thousands of government subsidies created for inuit or first nations all over canada. That is tax payer funded, not just the GN, the feds too, in fact all over canada. Its funny when people cry racism or systematic racism when it is actually not loo
I don’t think that you even know what systemic racism is. This case is clear, the privileged become more privileged and underprivileged have opportunity denied.
This program further advantages a privileged group at the expense of others. Yes, within Nunavut Inuit are a highly privileged group, particularly when compared against Nunavut’s minority groups. This funding model disadvantages Nunavut’s minority groups and while further entrenching privilege.
Funds of this type should be aimed, in the name of equity, at Nunavut’s disadvantaged. We need to encourage them to seek higher education at the greater rates. You can’t tell me that Nigerian or Pakistani ancestry Nunavummiut, for example, are less deserving of support than Inuit. There are already so many supports, both governmental and Inuit org, available to Inuit. Do Nunavut minority groups have such supports? No.
Nunavut means “our land” in Inuktitut. Nunavut does not have “minority groups,” rather, persons from minority groups have decided to move to and live on Inuit homelands. If the person from the minority group came to Canada from another country and settled in Nunavut, and left their country of origin for whatever reason, you can thank Inuit for the ability to come to this land that is part of Canada. Inuit signed over 80% of the land over to Canada for Arctic sovereignty purposes, in exchange for some rights and privileges. We are owed those rights and privileges for the Gift of Nunavut, given without force or war, to Canada. Persons from minority groups need to respect Inuit and the history here or they should leave and they shouldn’t complain about not getting enough. If it’s not enough, persons from minority groups should go to southern Canada or back to their country of origin. That attitude is not welcomed here.
You are lucky it was Canada that made the deal with Inuit, if the Russians had of came over first, they would have slaughtered all Inuit or put Inuit in slave camps. There would be none of this “its my land, you owe me this”
Ok, Vince, good thing you’re not in charge of Canada’s diplomacy, by that logic Russia would be Canada’s bordering neighbor. I’m sure Canadians would have appreciated that more than having to uphold constitutional rights to Inuit enshrined in the Nunavut Agreement. Canadians would have especially appreciated that in this time of uncertainty surrounding the Ukraine-Russia war. Is it so hard to respect Inuit who are indigenous to Nunavut? These are constitutionally protected rights. If you don’t like there is no reason why you need to stay here. Unless, like many southerners who move here, expecting Inuit to subsidize their housing and pay then inflated salaries, you’re here likely because opportunities have not existed for you elsewhere? Why else would you be somewhere you obviously detest? For Inuit this is home and a magical place.
I don’t detest it here, I don’t like how its a “you owe me this or give me that” in Nunavut while the rest of Canada are not given a damn thing. I don’t like how if you aren’t Inuit than you don’t get the extra benefits ($500 /semester) I don’t like how just because we are from the south that if we don’t like certain things, we are told we should go back. Imagine what a disaster it would be if we all went back or are you living in a delusional world where you actually think Nunavut would survive without the Federal Gov handing out millions. I pay my taxes to look after you, do you pay your taxes to look after me, not likely.
NTI money was from Fed money….so not sure what you are getting at about where the money comes from….you do realize that many Indigenous people in Canada receive programs funded through the Government….lol
Inuit, as a population, are needed in post secondary education. It is our right. How else do you think we will be occupying all Government jobs?!
Relax. Majority of them applying won’t. I repeat…, won’t be able to pass the basic entrance exam and they’ll cry
…”Residential school this… Residential school that…” and tax (and rent payers )are obligated cause y’know, you called us a bad name.🤯🤪😱🤣
Should be $500 extra for every of their two week deposits, not one semester each.
Bogus!
Meanwhile, unless born with a silver spoon, non-inuit students have no choice but to work part-time, take out massive loans, and lose countless nights of sleep just to finish a diploma or degree.
Graduating with massive debt sucks, but it surely motivates someone to succeed in their careers just to repay it.
Talk to your Canadian government to grant all students across Canada.
“The goal is to “completely revamp and re-envision” FANS, said the Department of Education Tuesday in a news release.”
$33 a week, go treat yourself to a burger on Friday, on us. I guess there is some merit to taking baby-steps but this is a bit much …
The total average yearly cost of an undergraduate University education in Canada was $19,500.00 in 2022. For any average Canadian, this cost is paid with personal funds, working in the summer being mandatory, parental support including RESPs that may be socked away, and by taking out student loans that may be available in their home province.
Lucky for us in Nunavut, we know our children are our future and we support them. FANS provides a basic grant for all Nunavut students of $6,500, leaving everyone with around $13,000 a year to pay themselves.
FANS also provides a supplementary Grant to Inuit students that at minimum, provides another $9,000, leaving an Inuk student with $4,000 a year to pay themselves.
FANS also provides for a Primary Loan (amount not prescribed) for any Nunavut Student that does not have to be repaid (you only have to return to Nunavut to work). That means in theory through FANS, either a Inuk or Non-Inuk student can study at NO COST TO THEMSELVES.
This is not counting at all the top up money that an Inuk student – that can rival FANS in levels of support – which Inuit can receive through Inuit organizations, and any number of bursaries and awards that almost every Nunavut organization offers to entice youth to better themselves.
This is also not counting the extremely generous summer student wages that can be earned in Nunavut (often over $30/hr), which should allow a student to save up a tidy sum to keep them going when they head south. And of course, FANS is not means tested.
What a bunch of privileged, whiney, spoiled and pampered youth we have in Nunavut today! Snubbing their noses at an extra $500.
The truth is, a single Nunavut student with careful planning can make going to University a money making proposition.
All you Nunavut students out there; before you go to class today, or before you go out to the local bar to get slaughtered with your extra money, give a little thought to your betters back home.
Thank them for realizing how much more of a miserable brat you would be if you were sitting back home in public housing collecting SA, because that it the only reason you have it so easy.
The goals and objective of improving students EDUCATION in remote communities in schools is to provide actual ‘ACADEMIC programs’ as expected to deliver every students learning in classes to pursue further EDUCATION in COLLEGE or University! This is supposedly should be delivered, as expected opposed to flawed curriculum that is NOT oriented to continue further EDUCATION after given Gr.12 graduation certificate papers! This is under the NOSE of regional Executive directors of each 3 different regions of Dept. of EDUCATION.
– What is the percentage of Gr. 12 graduates that further education in post-secondary?
– What are actual Academic programs delivered in classes?
– Is full-time scale cultural programs relevant to Students EDUCATION?
– Who does regular school visits to consult with each teachers/ members in the community?
– Does Dept. of Education hold public meetings to discuss school programs & education?
Possibly this may result to more application of FAN’s to pursue further education in College or University? Suggestions!?!
Totally agreed. I’ve met university students working two part time jobs and attending school at the same time.😥 No hand outs and international student expecting none.
This assembly forgets they are a public government serving residents of Nunavut. EVERYONE including Non-Inuit voted for this government. Someone needs to give the MLA’s a class on what public government means. What a slap in the face!
Moderator, I am not sure why this racist, derogatory comment is allowed?
METHODOLOGY – Sociology Programs Bench
Looking almost half a century into the future is very difficult. This is probably especially true of the Arctic, where resettlement and aculturation has produced very rapid socio-cultural and socio-economic change. During the past half century this change has been marked most notably by an abandonment of the aboriginal lifestyle. At best this research can only interpolate the directions of change into the future by working from the hypothetical assumption that their will be no change in current government policies for regional development in the Arctic. Inevitably this assumption will be false, but hopefully, by making this assumption, a picture of some future existence for the Inuit will emerge that will stand as a benchmark from which desired futures might be better drawn and systematically planned.
However such speculation about desired futures and appropriate planning is beyond the scope of this research. This socio-economic study was well established and set its in hope and consumption that reflect on socio-economics to education in remote communities late 80s through socio-anthropology! Well, thought and plan!
In reality in with current EDUCATION system in conclusion education in the remote schools is basically socio-pass, make-up calendar programs (not relevant to academics), monopoly system, to backdoor stone age flawed programs right under the nose of executive directors that would NOT careless weather quality EDUCATION is delivered or NOT!
Get a part time job like a lot of “Qabloonaaq” students do and pay your tuition and rent, food, meds…(7 days a week) and pay off the students loan you “borrow”..🤯😱
The real two tiers system is all these Minister’s who send their kids to expensive boarding schools down south so their kids dont have to go to high school in Nunavut. This should be investigated.