Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister indicate what the process is for this request? Does it go to the specific Minister the person was working for or does it go to one? Are they all funnelled through one person? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

As I said earlier in my statement, each contracting authority is responsible to know the rules set out by the guidelines, to abide by them. It is impossible for one person to police all that. I want to make sure I get it exactly right because I know this is an important issue, I will ask my colleague if he will allow me to check with my deputy to see exactly what the process is. As I have said earlier, I have not had one come across my desk. My point is, each contracting authority is responsible to know the rules set out in the guidelines. I will double-check with my department and give my honourable colleague the answer tomorrow.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister please provide us with information since our term began three years ago, with not necessarily the names of people involved, but the requests for exception and how many were granted and how many refused? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Yes, I would be only too happy to do that. I appreciate what my honourable colleague is asking. I also appreciate the manner in which he is asking it. I will provide that, if I can, tomorrow morning. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just following up on these questions on Mr. Todd's statement earlier today. Mr. Speaker, and I quote from February 23, 1998, from the Hansard. Mr. Picco speaking, "Mr. Speaker, thank you. Mr. Speaker, I just want to follow up on my questions earlier on the personnel policy. I did not intend to imply any type of motive in my questioning. No, I did not, Mr. Todd. My question, Mr. Speaker, is that the Premier said he reviewed the personnel policy and thought it was good".

Mr. Todd just said in a question to Mr. Erasmus that maybe we would have to look at and review this policy. It has already been reviewed. I am wondering, Mr. Speaker, there does not seem to be anything wrong with the policy. I am wondering why the policy is not being followed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

I am not sure. I do not have Hansard in front of me like my honourable colleague does. I am not so sure what personnel policy it was relating to. When he says, I wonder why the Minister cannot answer the question, why the policy has not been followed, I wonder if he could be specific? I thought I had in a very succinct, disciplined way, explained today that the policy, in fact, is being followed. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a bit bizarre. Since November, 1995, the Minister has been Chairman of the Financial Management Board. In questioning in this House today, we have just found out that indeed, Mr. Todd says not one employee has come forward to declare a conflict of interest on any contract they have received after leaving the employment of the government or indeed have been opted out by the FMB. I am wondering, could Mr. Todd clarify that statement, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Todd. To your point of order.

Mr. Speaker, I have never done this before, but I believe that my comment was, I have never had one of the requirement for exemptions come across my desk. I believe that was how I answered the question earlier.

Mr. Todd, you do not have a point of order, but there was a question there. Mr. Todd.

Well, in answer to your previous question, what I did indicate, and I will have to check Hansard tomorrow, is that I have not had across my desk any requests for exemptions. I qualify that by saying I will check with my staff to make sure that my comment is accurate. That is all I was saying. Nothing more, nothing less.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, well if nothing has come across his desk, across his floor, window, rug, table, I would wonder, Mr. Speaker, in the last three and a half years as Chairman of the Financial Management Board, if the Minister would look and review the contracts given in the last 12 months to see if former senior managers of this government have indeed received contracts and indeed may have been in violation of that policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Flamboyant as ever, my colleague from Iqaluit, in a serious issue. Mr. Speaker, I would be only too happy to check and determine who, if any, deputy ministers have got an exemption on any contracts in relationship to this government and report to the House on that matter.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, indeed I do take the questioning seriously. As I said before, Mr. Speaker, we are here to be accountable for public spending and the public purse. I would ask, Mr. Speaker, not just deputy ministers that Mr. Todd replied with. I would ask that senior managers, which are covered under the guideline and policy, be covered under the request I made about the contracts over the last 12 months. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

I never questioned my honourable colleague's seriousness. I questioned his flamboyancy. I would be only too happy, Mr. Speaker, to provide this House with a complete, detailed listing of who has received exemption with respect to contracts with this government, both deputy ministers and others. Thank you.