Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thought my deputy minister had responded to your question. We do not have the figure. From my own experience, as a hamlet councillor in Pangnirtung, there was a great demand because there were a number of people who were not happy with the amount of social assistance they received. Once the committee was dissolved we were being pushed to get the committee going again. I cannot give you any number. As my deputy minister has said we do not collect work load data. We can make an attempt to get the information for you at a later date.

Thank you. I would like to receive that information sometime. The Minister has made a statement that in one particular community the people are not happy with the amounts they receive. Are we changing a committee structure so that we can meet the demand of making people happy? Why are they not happy? I believe it is because of the rules, regulations and amounts which are being issued and the limited dollars which are being allowed in many cases. The other issue is the local social workers and how they interpret rules. You have had questions today on the use of vouchers. Many communities do not give cash. During our visits of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services we found that people are concerned with these things because they affect their daily lives. I know this is another debate but I am just trying to make a point. This is a bigger issue than changing our abilities to deal with complaints.

The issue I wanted to get to with regard to the amount of work load, and I know this is not a money bill, however, many of these committee members get an honorarium, and in some cases where they do not, they wish they did. This is one of the complaints we heard from the communities. Some of them get paid, some of them do not get paid. Some of them get paid through the hamlet and some have their own administration, it varies across the territories. What impact would changing this particular bill have on the cost of administering the committees. Are there going to be additional costs incurred by the department if we pass this bill?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As long as the quorum is three, no.

It does not make sense because the committee is now from five to eight so if you have eight members there are still three additional members per meeting. Forty three times three is 929 more people who could, theoretically, attend meetings. If they are getting honorariums or some kind of fee I wonder where this will be budgeted for if that is the case?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When they have to deal with appeals they would not call all eight members to be present. It is an appeal committee.

I am getting confused. The bill says, "The appeal committee shall be composed of not fewer than three and not more than eight." If a meeting of an appeal committee is called there could be eight members. I do not read anywhere that only three members are going to attend the meeting. I know that three members constitute a quorum but I would believe that eight members can attend a meeting. If that is the case, I am wondering if appropriate measures have been taken to compensate these additional people.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is up to the chairperson of these appeal committees to call in the members. If that chairperson wishes to have all eight members to be present he can do so, or he can settle with just three.

I will get back to the issue I raised, it is a financial issue. Are there going to be additional costs incurred if we pass this bill?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes.

If that is the case then I assume appropriate increases have been made in the budgets. Are the appropriate increases made in the new budget?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, like my colleague for Thebacha am having difficulty. I would have difficulty giving passage to a bill where the majority, 50 plus one, is not adhered to in a system whereby the majority rules and we seem to be saying here the minority rules. We are not doing justice to the country when we pass a bill which says that only three out of eight members constitutes a quorum, Mr. Chairman. We are a duly elected Legislature in the country and thereby we should abide by the Constitution of the country in the democracy. Majority rules. Thank you.