Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The budget proposal for Personnel is $4.1 million and 38.4 PYs.

As you know, Personnel continues to recruit for all public service positions, except those in the NWT Housing Corporation, Workers' Compensation Board, health boards and teaching positions with school boards. For these organizations, Personnel develops procedures, provides guidance and advice and conducts operational reviews of staffing procedures.

In addition to the money needed to continue the recruiting program, the estimates reflect an increased emphasis on training, compliance and the promotion of the government as an employer.

In addition, Personnel intends to increase the frequency of its operational reviews this fiscal year. The reviews will help to improve the application of the government staffing process throughout the territories. Eight operational reviews are scheduled. As well, a process has been developed to monitor

satisfaction with personal services from both the client department and applicant perspective.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to provide Members with an overview of how we are addressing the hiring of students this summer. Mr. Chairman, the government has already received over 190 applications for employment in response to 1,527 packages sent by Personnel to students receiving financial assistance from the Department of Education.

The package provided information on summer employment and encouraged students to submit their resumes. A letter to deputy ministers encouraged them to hire students this summer at headquarters and in the regions was also distributed in February. A staffing officer met with departmental coordinators to discuss summer students and review the casual employment guidelines.

In the regions, a Personnel office, in conjunction with Education, Culture and Employment, will coordinate student placement within government departments and provide counselling sessions. Education's career centres will assist students with their job search in the private sector.

In Yellowknife, the government has entered into a partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Human Resource Development Canada that will result in a one-stop shop for students looking for summer work. An office location for the centre will be announced in the near future.

Under the partnership arrangement, the chamber will operate the centre and will contact employers for job listing, advertise vacancies and match students to positions. Human Resource Development Canada will provide funding for operating costs. The territorial government will provide furnishings for career development seminars, post job advertisements and provide personnel advice.

In addition, an information session for Yellowknife students will be held the first week in May. Representatives from the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the career development section, the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce and Personnel will be in attendance to provide information to students or respond to any questions they may have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

At this point, I am prepared to respond to any questions Members may have.