Charles Dent

Mr. Speaker, that is, in fact, not right. Our guidelines and policies are more generous than any other jurisdiction in Canada. I have sat down with the Standing Committee on Social Programs and have run through our program in considerable detail to show just that. I would be happy to continue my work with the Standing Committee on Social Programs. They have had this presentation. I would be happy to offer it to other standing committees, if they are interested, and would certainly be prepared to demonstrate that we have a good program in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in response to Mr. Braden earlier, the issue of reviewing guidelines for the program is one that is open at all times. If a Member comes to me and says here is what I see as a problem, I will take a look at it, I will discuss it with personnel in the department and we will get back to the Member as to whether or not we will consider revising the guidelines. I will also discuss them with the standing committee. It’s this House that has to ultimately agree to any changes in guidelines, because when I change the guidelines, or when we change the guidelines...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our income support workers undergo regular training, they have a number of occasions a year in which they are provided with information to make sure that they can pass this on to their clients. If the Member has a concern about a particular community, I hope that he will come and talk to me about it and we will address that as quickly as we can. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this House helps me set the policies for Income Support, and I would have to work with Members in this House to review the policy if that is the will. I am quite prepared to embark on that initiative. I have, in fact, started some of that work with the standing committee; it started some time ago. The Standing Committee on Social Programs and I have met several times to talk about the policies, the underpinnings for the program and how it is delivered.

I think one of the things we have to first of all decide is, is this program an entitlement? Right now...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think it does right now. I think our system does accommodate differences, but there has to be a policy base for all that we do.

Ten years ago the policy was…For instance, the Seniors' Fuel Subsidy was a universal program. Everybody in the Northwest Territories who was a senior got the program, no matter what their income was or whether they needed it. This Legislative Assembly made a policy change to say that government funds would only be provided to assist seniors for fuel when there was fiscal need, and set the standards then for that fiscal need. There are...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member had asked for specific examples. What the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is endeavouring to do is reduce the numbers of advances that are given out and the amounts. While recognizing that they’re still necessary, there’s an attempt to limit the amount that is outstanding at any one time, and to that way improve on the requirement for accounting to be delivered before we advance further funds.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department responds to comments, suggestions and criticisms that may come from non-government agencies or from standing committees of this House or Members of this House by checking to see whether or not the policies need to be revised or reviewed. So there is a constant process of examination to see whether or not the process that we undertake in the income support field is proper and adequate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Could I have the question restated, please?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I expect that within a matter of weeks, the report, or at least the first draft of the report, will be delivered to my department and I would expect that we would start to -- if there are recommendations for approval -- act on this fairly quickly. It is not our intention, because if you want people to be able to respond openly and freely to this, they have to know that the information they are giving us is going to be kept confidential. There is no intention to release this report, otherwise you put people at risk for not feeling that they can freely participate in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to make it clear that I never did offer Mr. Ramsay a copy of the report or a watered-down copy of the report. I did say to Mr. Ramsay that I would endeavour to advise him in a general manner, if I could, what some of the recommendations were. The report is one that will not be made public because of the implications to personnel. It’s personnel related. At this point, the report has been received by the department. Initially, as Mr. Ramsay said, it was received some time ago. It was referred to personnel at Stanton who had experience with this area and we had...