Mr. Chairman, I think that in trying to reach the objectives and the general thrust of the "Strength at Two Levels" report, we have been very much concerned in terms of the problems that would come around with having some people feeling that their jobs will just not be here. We have had several meetings with deputy ministers in terms of putting forth our framework so that they could pass down to their various responsibilities what we are going to do. I think it has to be said that people get treated fairly and with respect, and we have tried to make sure that we send that message down the lines.

I believe that we have quite a vacancy rate as well, so the impact may not be as drastic as some people fear out there. Certainly the turnover rate in a lot of our government institutions is very high, and it has always concerned me that even at a community or regional level sometimes when the community is dealing with, "Where are we going to put our many educated young people; where are they going to go; how are they going to be involved; how are they going to get those jobs?" the impediment is sometimes when people say that it is impossible because these jobs are filled. To a great extent the turnover in those jobs is immense, and what we should be doing instead, while we are going to the community transfer, we should be dealing in the schools as well, telling the schools at a very early stage, "You have four nurses here. You need about 10 financial people in this community. You have so many RCMP officers. You have all this, and the turnover is there."

I do not think that the people who are moving toward taking over those job functions should have a fear that there is going to be somebody in the way and somebody is going to be there forever, because they are not. I think that in the foreseeable future, because of the rollover, there is room for a lot of people; and we are not threatening people about their jobs. Thank you.