Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just to follow up on the labour standards question I had earlier, indeed I knew Mr. Smith and had some dealings with him before when I was involved with the union, and he is a very good employee. I have not seen anything in writing on the complaints about slowness. It was just a couple of people who had told me they had problems contacting the office. That was the point I was trying to make. On the language services that are available that was a complaint that was raised by a person who had a labour standards problem, was unilingual and did not know how to make contact. Just for clarification purposes from the Justice staff, how would that work? Would the person just phone and have someone, who spoke English, communicate that and then the department would just phone them back? Is that what the staff meant? Then they would be able to communicate the concern, because I can phone that person and have them do that. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will check with the Labour Standards Board, but I would expect that if the client was unilingual and had not already found another person to help them communicate with the Labour Standards Board or dealing with this organization, that the labour standards people would find a way of getting services to make sure they can communicate with that client. That is just my opinion. That is what I would expect to happen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I had some questions under lawyer support services, but I think some of them would be more appropriate under labour standards as they deal directly with that. So with your permission, I will proceed with that. Mr. Chairman, some time ago, I had approached a previous Minister of Justice with concerns that had been brought to me regarding the Labour Standards Act and the difficulty that some employers find with that act, particularly to the question of commission employees. Could I have the Minister give me some update as to the difficulties that the department could encounter to add amendments to this act to allow for commission employees? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First, I appreciate the fact that the Member has brought this issue up with me several times in the past little while. I also understand he has pursued the issue with the previous Minister of Justice. I understand there was a commitment from the Department of Justice that the department would look at whether it was possible to make minor or isolated changes to the Labour Standards Act without having to do a major overhaul. I understand that review or overview has been done. It has been determined that small isolated changes for this particular purpose would not be possible. If there were to be changes to the Labour Standards Act for those reasons, it will require some major and wide sweeping changes, much more work than had been previously thought.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Minister for that explanation. I guess we have been speaking to different lawyers, but then if you ask three lawyers, you will get four opinions. Mr. Speaker, I have had some discussions with the legal fraternity. I get the understanding from them that to provide an inclusion for commissioned employees to provide a clause for commission employees within the act, would require a definition and a few sections. There was also offered to me a suggestion that it would involve a couple of months work of research and preparation. Mr. Chairman, as these particular requirements affect so many people in the Northwest Territories like store clerks, anyone that is on a commission basis, hairdressers, cab drivers, anyone employed on a commission basis, it affects them. We hear so much about this government suggesting that they are open for business and we have regulatory reform in place, to make things much more easy for business. What I am trying to get is some commitment from the department that they will look at bringing in some of these needed amendments to the Labour Standards Act. I am willing, Mr. Speaker, to hear a response from the Minister on some reconsideration of this because it does affect so many people, business and labour. I would be prepared to listen to what the Minister says, but I feel strongly this should be enacted on within this life of this government. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As I had told the Member earlier on when he first brought this up to me that if it was possible, to make those minor adjustments, then, I would be interested in looking at it and trying to do it. Perhaps his people have found a way my people have not found. We can sit down and look at it. I would be prepared to sit down and look at the options further.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Minister's offer and I, sincerely, will take him up on that. It would be good to have another opinion on it. In view of that, Mr. Chairman, I would be prepared to move a motion, so we can get it on the record. I would have some people work along with the Minister's staff to have another look at this to see if something can be done to bring this act into the twentieth century and also to conform with every other jurisdiction in the country. Mr. Chairman, I would be prepared to move a motion

now.

Mr. Chairman, the motion would be pretty close to being drafted. I have the gist of the motion here, but it is being prepared presently.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It would be a good use of time. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under page 7-6, we have been under this directorate for quite a long time, pretty well all day. I would like to move on to page 7-7. I am not sure as to what the issues are. We are unable to vote because we do not have a quorum here. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (Translation ends)

Yes, Mr. Chairman. I was going to suggest we defer this area until Mr. Henry has time to bring forward his motion and has it translated.

Mr. Chairman, I am not sure if it is easier to defer or just to have a break?