(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will be replying in English, as it was not clear in the unedited Hansard. If it's okay to the Member, that I can repeat this in English. (End of translation)

...committee of the whole in dealing with my department's budget, Madam Speaker, when Mr. Pudlat asked whether it was in fact true that we have a regulation stating that the amount earned has to be deducted when the recipient applies for social assistance. My reply was, in Inuktitut -- and this is my translation -- is that we do have a policy that is mandatory, and that it is applied whenever the social assistance recipients apply for assistance. The earned income is deducted according to our regulation and legislation.

I further added that we also have a regulation that states the recipient should try to sell any capital item they have before seeking social assistance. In recognizing the situations that we have in the north, it's unique and we have not been applying that because it doesn't make sense to be selling your capital assets that you use to supplement your daily food. Thank you.