Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent. In my Member's statement, I spoke about youth and the lack of employment programs in a lot of our communities for the youth, who seem to feel they are left out of the overall process. They feel like they are all alone. I would like to ask the Minister, what is being done to improve the self-esteem and pride of youth? How are they playing a more active role in regard to the community and programs that are delivered in the community? We hear a lot from the federal government that there is a lot of federal youth initiatives that the federal government, especially the liberals, are pushing. I would like to ask the Minister, what is he doing, as the Minster responsible for Youth, in ensuring there are programs being delivered and what is being done to improve those programs in our communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with several of the programs in the department being aimed at young people, most of our expenditures is, in fact, going toward helping young people get ahead in their lives. As for specific youth programs, we have our program which matches the Federal Employment Program providing incentives for employers to offer employment to youth. The department has worked in the course of the past year to prepare for youth to organize themselves into groups and handbooks to help them organize to find funding to operate their activities. The department always stands ready to help youth organizations when it comes to youth programs. We recognize the importance of youth, and many communities have gone a long way toward dealing with youth groups as well. I know that a number of communities have set up youth councils. I think that is important to note that local communities are going to have to get more and more involved in supporting the activities of this government when it comes to dealing with youth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regard to the programs that are available and the funds that are accessible to communities for youth programs, there is recreation, funds for youth centres, you mentioned youth councils, are all these available through program dollars? If so, exactly how are those programs delivered to the communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The only direct program dollars that are available for youth right now are in terms of the Youth Employment Strategy. This is an on-the-job wage subsidy. The other assistance that we are prepared to provide through our regional offices is more in the level of support to groups by helping them to organize and work to find their own sources of funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You mentioned the regional centres that there is a program to assist youth organize and commit themselves. I believe there has to be more involvement of youth, especially in hamlet council meetings or meetings in general, in communities. Has there been any attempt by your department to make the communities aware of these programs and these initiatives that are in place? You mentioned some regional program. What is being done to make the communities aware of these programs and the resources that are there?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of the extent to which departmental officials have made communities aware of these initiatives. We can certainly provide that information. I do know that communities ranging from the smallest to the largest have initiatives where a hamlet, a town or city councils are taking a look at youth councils and how they could interact with them. I will get back to the Member on how much of this information has been passed on to other communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister make available to all the Members of this House whatever information he is able to catalogue and also, if there are other federal programs that are jointly funded between this government and the federal government?