Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (Aug 06/99) - Most Northerners still leave home for post-secondary education according to Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Michael Miltenberger.

In addition to granting 133 scholarships of $3,000 each as part of the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation, Miltenberger told the legislative assembly last week his department is making changes to improve service to students and streamline the student financial assistance system.

Changes include establishing a web site and chatline, simplifying forms, giving students the option of delaying their January payment for tax reasons.

Law money

The Department of Justice has created a bursary program for qualified NWT aboriginal law students.

Recipients must be accepted or conditionally accepted in a bachelor of laws program at a recognized Canadian university faculty of law.

The program will offer $10,000 bursaries for a maximum of four law students.

These students will also net a summer job with the department.

North needs rehabilitation programs

Minister of Health and Social Services took flak from various members about the closing of the Northern Addictions Services Rehabilitation Centre in Yellowknife.

Yellowknife North MLA Roy Erasmus said he recently spoke with some young men from Hay River who had finished a program at the rehabilitation centre there.

"What they were saying was that there are thousands upon thousands of people who are addicted to alcohol and drugs in the NWT," Erasmus said.

"And that these rehabilitation centres are their lifeline back to mainstream society and it seems as though every time they start to get their feet back under them somebody is trying to kick them back out."