Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will let Mr. Dunbar respond to the Member.

Mr. Dunbar.

Mr. Chairman, there are three ways in which we endeavour to train social workers. We encourage as many social workers as possible to take the educational program through Arctic College, which is a two year program where the graduate receives a community college diploma. The courses they take are credited at a university level, which allows them to go on with a credit for the two years they have already studied. From a departmental point of view, we would like to see that as being the level for all of our staff to attain. That is not always possible, of course, because we have many staff who work with us who are not in a position to go to college at this point in time. We also have statutory training. Before a person, who is hired by the department, works in the field, they undergo the statutory training program which, at the beginning, is a five day program. It is followed up with in-service training through the years. That is the way in which the staff receive their training.

Thank you. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am wondering if the Department of Social Services has anything in place whereby they can review or evaluate each social worker to see if that person is indeed qualified to do the job. The qualification of a social worker is very important. I wonder if the Department of Social Services has anything in place to be able to review each worker to see if that social worker is confident in his or her job. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Performance appraisals are carried out every year.

Thank you. On page 13-9, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yesterday, when we concluded this department to recognize the clock I was making a statement with regard to child custody. In the Child Welfare Act, there are no sections in there with regard to custody going to the grandparents or relatives. The courts go by law, unless they have the consent of the natural parents. Normally the natural parents' views and wishes are respected. In this event a social worker works on a case for the courts, and the recommendations are based on the natural parents' wishes. Normally the courts would go on that basis regardless if there are other wishes by the grandparents or relatives. I was hoping you may be able to address that through the courts if you were able to have some kind of intervention in the act itself, which would allow some kind of intervention by the grandparents to allow the courts to decide whether the wishes of the natural parents should be abided by or intervention by the families could be considered while the process is going on. Right now, under the Child Welfare Act you do have such a section. One of the recommendations of the report by Justice on the family law review also refers to custody cases. Mr. Chairman, the family law review and the Child Welfare Act is a fairly broad document and we are not going to catch all of it, it will take some time. I think the department should seriously look at where they could make some changes now.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Member's comments will be considered.

Thank you. Family and children's services. Total O and M, $13.861 million. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, "to provide contribution funding and monitor the expenditure of community groups offering projects which support the prevention of family violence." Could the Minister explain exactly what this program is?

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will let Mr. Dunbar respond to that.

Mr. Dunbar.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The contribution funding which is being referred to is funding that is used to fund organizations such as the Northwest Territories family counselling program and other similar organizations which are developing. I know there is one in the Inuvik region, one in Hay River and one developing in the eastern Arctic at the present time.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

The other item to provide grants and contribution funding and monitor expenditures of community-based groups providing child day care programs. Those are programs for community-based organizations, but I would like to know from your department whether you actually have money in there to allow a child while he is in those centres to develop his or her own aboriginal languages.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The child day care program will be transferred to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs on April 1.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, we are approving this budget for the new fiscal year beginning April 1. Is the Minister suggesting that part of the money which is going to be allocated to the Department of Education is still in this budget? How is this going to be transferred to the Department of Education if that is the case?

Thank you. Madam Minister.