Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I guess the simplest way that I could tell the Member is that, yes, I will do that. In the event, that within that policy, I am not allowed, then I will write the Member, by letter stating whether that can be done or not, but I will say, yes, right now.

Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

I would like to ask the Minister, and his officials that are sitting there, what does he feel may prevent him from providing that information to the committee?

Well, I am having a bit of a problem, because I cannot answer for the Minister, but I can only say this to you, that if you look at the way the information is, the proposed budget for 1992-93, we have not concluded this year yet, and I am not sure that anybody would know exactly what right offs there are going to be. I could probably say to the Minister that 1991-92 is possible, and available, to Members because you know already what the facts are. That is the one thing that I was confused about earlier, because this is the proposed budget for the whole year. I cannot answer for the Minister, though, the Minister has to deal with that. I just wanted you to be aware of that. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Chairman, my question was to the Minister, and his officials, and I asked what would prevent the Minister from providing that information to the committee? Thank you.

Mr. Minister.

Well, now that I have listened to my officials, I will answer this one right now. I am always concerned that when I have a loan, that I do not want anybody else, to invade my privacy to see what I have, and what I do not have. The students, I think, should be treated the same way, so that they can go to school with comfort, and without having to feel that they will be reviewed. It is the potential for the invasion of privacy. I want to know first, and make sure that I am not going to do that, and if I am not going to be doing that, then certainly, I will provide that information to the Members.

Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

I agree with what the Minister is saying, however, the Minister has to recognize that he is asking this committee to agree to the amount of $125,000 in loans being written off, which is basically saying these students are not going to pay their loans, they are not adhering to their student financial fund, which allowed them to get access to their loans, and further that the loans are forgiven, is practically a million dollars! You want us to approve that, and, yet, you do not want to give us the information as to whether, or not, these students, or your department, has made any effort whatsoever, to ensure that you tried to prevent these loans

from being forgiven and we want to determine that. My colleague is asking a simple question that just needs a yes, or a no, no ifs or buts. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

If the information item, student loans revolving fund, would have provided all those names that we were concerned about, if that was the method, but, students write offs, $125,000, is what this House would be concerned about, whether to approve it, or not. I do not know if, historically, all the names of the written off loans, names and amounts have been written again. That is why I was concerned about invading their privacy. Maybe next time, we will write down all of the peoples names, if that is the old method of reporting the estimates.

Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Chairman, I do not believe the Members wanted the list tabled, or for public information, in respect to who the students were. Mr. Koe had initially asked what measure his department took, and wanted to know if every measure in accordance to the policy was adhered to, to avoid this list coming in respect to loans written off, loans forgiven.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Yes, we will do that, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Lewis, student loan revolving fund.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We understand the loans forgiven part, because in the act, the students that return to the territories and live and work here, they do not even have to work here, just for being here can, in fact, get their loans forgiven, and that is quite legal. It is in the act.

I would like to ask the Minister, on what basis you determine whether a loan should be written off. How do you decide, because there is a whole variety that you have decided to write off. On what basis do you decide to forgive a loan?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will ask Mr. Devitt to answer that question.

Thank you. Mr. Devitt.

Mr. Chairman, prior to recommending the write off of a loan, the Department of Finance would have exhausted all reasonable means of trying to collect that loan and would no longer consider it economic to actively pursue that loan. I would also like to point out that when a loan is written off on the accounts, the government still has the right to collect that loan. Thank you.

Thank you. Student loan revolving fund, information item. Thank you. Detailed work performed on behalf of third parties, total department, $3.921 million.

Agreed.