Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I have to apologize because when the honourable Member puts a question forward, he uses all types of expressions that I find difficult to address. The responsibility of Health and Social Services is being consolidated. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the consolidation efforts of the departments began in earnest in October 1993 to try to address the issue of programs and services to individuals as well as to try to address some of the outstanding global concerns that individuals had in the delivery of social services, which goes under the category of welfare. What we tried to do, in rationalizing these programs and services, is to try to respond in a more positive way to the concerns that have been before us for many years.

For example, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment will hopefully take a lot of the responsibility which presently exists under the Social Services umbrella where there will be training employment, and I believe that those are the indicators that we had for quite a number of years, that people did not like to be on welfare and wanted a more positive program. So many of the areas that we can look toward to for the individuals in the communities are that they have better access to education and employment in this area. What we'd hoped then, is Social Services will be doing the job it was set up to do, with regard to the training that many of the workers need, and to provide counselling service and advice to people who are in need of this type of program.

As the Member is aware, there is a great deal of interest in communities taking more control over their lives. There are a number of issues that are housed in these various departments, so the consolidation is trying to address those issues.

Since we began, a number of steps have been taken to streamline the department and incorporate functions within the new department and I believe that we've provided that information to Members. As well, what we've done -- and I've taken the responsibility to also provide the information as we get it together -- is develop some models for the integration of programs at headquarters, regional and community levels because we feel it has to work together. I think what we're trying to do is put the programs together so, while we're doing this job, the programs and services are not disrupted. Because I think in streamlining, what you would get is easier access to more positive programs for people. As the Minister of Public Works says, any time we make changes, there will be some hiccups, but at the same time, I believe what we're doing will only just be responding to the many concerns that have been raised either in committees, in communities and in an overall global provision of services. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Madam Speaker, I'd like to make it clear to the Premier I'm not questioning the decision to consolidate. I was part of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services that, in fact, recommended that step would be progressive. What I'd just like to ask the Minister again is, if she could enlighten us as to what thought has been given to the role of health boards. The Department of Health has regional health boards that oversee the delivery of programs at the regional level. The Department of Social Services has no equivalent boards. Will those health boards still be there and will the rump of the Social Services employees report through those boards? Has that been worked out? Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the discussions have begun at the regional level with the boards, with various workers in the regional office and communities. We've had two large workshops that put all these particular people together to see how we could best achieve this streamlining without the disruption. So we're working on that and we haven't come up with a plan to conclude it. We've had a lot of good input, but I would hope that rather than the rump of Social Services, maybe the brain of Social Services will be able to conduct its business in a more effective way. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. The time for oral questions has lapsed. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.