Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That is an excellent question, Madam Speaker. The Minister of Health and Social Services and I, as has been the case here for all Members, are committed to coordinating the programs and services delivered by governments. To this end, the memorandum that was signed was the first formal step and, in fact, the first MOU signed in government between these respective departments, to ensure better accessibility to social programs and services.

It is also the intention to develop a number of procedures to deliver specific services, eliminating fragmentation and to establish a process to coordinate the areas of responsibility in our respective departments. That is the need.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Earlier the Minister also mentioned that special needs issues have to be addressed in conjunction with federal government programs as well, such as Brighter Futures. I would like to ask the Minister how his department is coordinating or assessing that information in dealing with the special needs issue. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Madam Speaker, actually, I want to maybe provide additional information to the Member. But, when the first dollars were being provided to the First Nations in the Northwest Territories, I tried to get the opportunity, as a Minister, to meet with the leaders. That did not happen. In fact, I was told that it was really none of my business. That was too bad, because I think we are all interested in dealing with these issues. What we are now trying to do is have the departments involved and work once again with our colleagues in the federal Department of Health.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what the status is with the MOU, and when he anticipates completing it. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The MOU has been signed by the respective Ministers. What we are now doing is working out the details to put in place all the issues of concern. In some cases, we have made joint assessment reports, which has never been done before. We are now working together to develop the outlines of responses to some of the issues raised here by my colleagues.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask then, if the MOU has been signed off with the Department of Health and Social Services, in the MOU, which department is the lead department for individuals to come to in order to address the special needs of their children?

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

The problem is we both have certain responsibilities. In the case of the educational system, we have to understand that the educators, special needs assistants, and schooling consultants, who, in many respects have expertise to deliver educational programs to people with special needs, are now in place. What we need to deal with is the whole issue of the health and social services component, so delivery of programs to special needs children are integrated.

That has been the cause of some of the most difficult problems in delivering programming. We have never clearly identified where our responsibility ends and where Health and Social Services picks up, because we have been jointly doing both.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.