Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we will be consulting with the various parties on this now that we have a revised plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Based on your letter, which indicates you are faced with some difficult choices and the plan that is being presented addresses areas of greater priority, I am given to understand that we will be looking at some cuts and some programs will be sunsetted.

I would like to ask if there are any programs or projects that will be cut in my riding of the Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not aware of any specific projects. In programs, there may be impacts such as the Community Skills for Work program, depending on whether or not we can get that into the main estimates. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to ask, when will we know the status of these programs?

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, we will be bringing forward business plans for the committees to review within a month and a half to two months. At that point, Members will be aware of the programs we will proceed with.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in Mr. Handley's Minister's statement yesterday on the interim budget, he mentioned that he had directed that the departments reduce capital spending by $10 million. Can this department tell us which projects have been deferred from their capital plan this year?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Deninoo School in Fort Resolution has been deferred by one year. The Thebacha Campus paving has been deferred. Capital equipment for the college has been reduced. The Aurora Campus in Inuvik has been deferred. The roof on the Aurora Research Centre has been deferred. Planning for Sir Alexander Mackenzie School in Inuvik has been deferred by one year. That is it, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was pleased to see the Minister respond favourably to Members' request that the funding for student summer employment be added back into this budget.

I am hoping that perhaps because the Minister had not heard about how important Members thought adult basic education was, he would now be prepared to consider doing the same thing in the mains. I think Members feel it is important to ensure we are able to carry out adult basic education.

Knowing there are no additional funds for the Skills for Work program in this interim budget, and knowing all funding for this program will end this Friday, do the non-government organizations that are currently delivering these programs know that there will be no funding available as of next week?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. When the funding is issued, they are advised that it is until March 31st of the following year. They are aware that funding ends as of that date.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Oftentimes, Mr. Chairman, non-government organizations know that government monies are voted for April 1st to March 31st. They know that funding can only be granted to the end of March. But they expect that the programs are going to continue as base-funded programs. Therefore, they will be able to send their applications in and qualify for funds. Does the Minister believe that most non-government organizations know that there will be no funding for this kind of program after March 31st? Or has he heard from a number of organizations and the lobbying started from them, so that he knows that they are aware that the funding will not be there?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is my impression that we have been clear with the NGOs on the funding that does expire on March 31st. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am surprised that we have not heard more from non-government organizations, expecting that they will be able to get more funding. I would like to reiterate for the Minister that I believe the Members in this House feel as strongly about adult basic education as we do about student summer employment. So I hope that will be reflected in the mains.

Looking again at the student summer employment program, there is $150,000 in this interim budget for that program. During our committee review, we were advised that this was felt to be enough money to ensure that all payments that would be required until we passed the mains would be able to be met. That would mean the invoices that were sent in for the first couple of months, but likely not amounts that might be required to run the program through July, even. My question is, when an employer comes to the department now and offers to hire a student and is looking for that waive subsidy, will the department sign a four-month, five-month or six-month agreement to take the employer and the student through to September? Or will the contracts all be ending in July, because we have an interim appropriation?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Mr. Ootes.