Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The process is that application forms come to headquarters for approval. That is the process that has been in place and that is the process that is there today. Now, as we go, will we look at possible changes? Possibly. However, at the moment I cannot commit to do that because we want to ensure that we have an efficient system and that we have a system that works right across the board and it will work.

We are looking at the computer process and the Internet for students to make applications. That all has to come into headquarters. Now it could be that down the road we can have applications forwarded through the Internet system by career officers. That is what I was speaking about earlier. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister may think that it is a good system and we will all keep it going. However, the endless requests from the regions and from MLAs is that this be moved to the regions. I would like to ask the Minister, what would it take for the department to consider even a pilot project? Pick a regional centre and let us try it, as we do with income support. Let the people in the region deal with the whole process from start to finish and let headquarters play the function or the monitoring support role that it actually should be playing. Would he consider that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have some progress to make here in terms of training regional staff and in terms of computer programs to get up and running. That is underway now and we are looking at that very heavily. Once we have completed that task, then we can look at other possible areas where this program can be improved.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this still makes no sense to me. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment in fact delivers comprehensive income support programs at the community level. Student financial assistance is no more complicated and probably less onerous on a daily basis than income support. Can the Minister explain to me what is the difference between those programs that makes it so difficult to consider moving student financial assistance down to the communities and regions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it would be premature in my mind, Mr. Speaker, to talk about training regional staff and at the same time hand over authority to those staff. I do not think we are in any position to suggest at this point that we would have efficiency in that system by doing that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been comments with regard to the Hay River petition rumoured that it was coming forward. Thirty days ago, we were provided with a copy of the petition. Approximately 32 days ago now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was under the impression that the department had received the petition back around May, but it was supposedly incomplete because there had not been any public consultation on it. Hay River went ahead and did consultation on their petition and then submitted their petition again. I would like the Minister to inform me whether the public consultation that Hay River did on it was taken into consideration at all? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is correct. The submission was made at that time but further information was required for it to be completed. The formal application was made 32 days ago. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess that does not answer whether the Hay River consultation was taken into consideration or not. I am wondering, will Hay River have any part in the consultation that is going to be taking place between now and January 4th? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The answer to that is yes. The department officials will be doing consultation in a number of areas, and of course one will be Hay River. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the deadline of October comes along or November...I am sorry, Mr. Speaker. It is put off now until January 4th. Can the Minister commit now that on January 4th there will be a decision on this and not find something to put this decision off further than January 4th?

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.