Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just want to tell the Premier and the Ministers on the other side of the table that there is a policy, and it has not been rejected by this government. I believe that it is in effect. It is called the Equality of Men and Women. May I have the Ministers make a commitment to read the policy and ensure all of their programs follow the principles outlined in this policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, the comments made by the Member are accepted and will be considered. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, and it is regarding my Member's statement earlier, about the number of complaints we have heard on the lack of training resources for people to get into the management field. There needs to be more effort put into training before affirmative action target groups can be promoted.

Within the Department of Education, Culture and Employment there is money identified for public service career training in 1999-2000 fiscal year. There was $619,000 identified for public service training. Mr. Speaker, my question relates to the involvement of other government agencies and departments about how this fund is being allocated.

What coordination and consultation occurs between the different departments regarding the use and access of the public service career training funds? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this particular program is administered by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment for the whole government. It is responsible for setting the guidelines. The money in the budget is divided between various career centres.

The career centres put out a call letter to individual departments, asking them to notify the department if they want to access these particular funds. The departments then respond by developing a training plan for particular positions, working with the career centres.

It is correct that the amount is $619,000, which was in the budget for 1999-2000, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have just finished the business plan process and review. There is usually a three year preparation for planning. With the public service career training dollars, I would like to know if there are any long-term plans in place as to how this money is going to be spent, especially when it comes to public career training? Is there a plan in place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, through this particular program, the department provides training, counselling, monitoring and administrative support for the development and delivery of training programs for up to three years duration. Programs include a combination of on-the-job training provided by an employee of the applying department or agency, self-directed learning activities and specialized courses.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my statement, I made reference to the number of dollars that were lapsed within this government. In the existing budget, there is some $250,000 that is identified for Staff Retention Policy. Yet, Mr. Speaker, in the previous fiscal year, there was some $403,000 lapsed in public service career training. Realistically, this is $153,000 less than the previous year.

I would like to ask the Minister, with these resources he has identified, are those significant enough to meet the requirements we need for training, realizing it is an area where we have a lot of problems with trying to get people moving up in the ranks.

What has been done in that area to ensure that money is being spent usefully? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have to state that I am not aware of the reasons for the lapses of the funding. I feel this is an important area. It is one we have to ensure there is enough promotion of. Obviously, funding did lapse previously. I have not checked those figures, but the Member has the figures.

I think it is important for us to address this issue to ensure that we do the appropriate promotion and contact with departments and career centres to ensure funding is taken up by the various organizations and departments to address the particular concern that is out there, to ensure people are developed career-wise and are promoted within our government as a result. Also, that they receive the appropriate education to be able to proceed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister be willing to involve the departments in the development of a particular plan for individuals of targeted affirmative action groups in the different departments, so they can show us how the candidates are accessing the public service career dollars? Can they come forth with a proposal so we can see in the House exactly how many people in the government are affirmative action candidates, and are making use of this money? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think there is merit to what the Member has recommended. We need to do an analysis of this particular program to address what the barriers may have been to access this particular funding, to ensure the money is taken up by the various departments so we improve the usage of this funding. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Before we continue on with oral questions, I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Members of the House to recognize in our gallery, the mayor of Edmonton, Mr. Bill Smith. Accompanying him is Jim Edwards, the president and CEO of Economic Development Edmonton; John Friesen, Edmonton Airports Authority; Keith Persand, Edmonton Chamber Of Commerce; Lynn Daina, Edmonton Journal; Lindsy Daniller, Economic Development Edmonton; Jim Andrais, from the mayor's office; Dale Monaghan, Economic Development Edmonton; and Ellie Sasseville, the executive director of the Yellowknife Chamber Of Commerce. Please give them a warm, legislative welcome.

-- Applause

Welcome to the final minutes of the question period here in the Legislative Assembly. Members will note that we did stop the clock.

--Interjection

A good Speaker. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, from information provided, since the demise of the Department of Personnel in 1996, there have been 191 appeals on government job competitions. Of those, 54 have been successful. This translates into 28 percent of the appeals being upheld.

Mr. Speaker, this suggest to me the departments are having ongoing difficulties in applying the GNWT's Affirmative Action Policy correctly. Mr. Speaker, my question goes to the Premier. Can the Premier inform this House whether a 28 percent success rate on appeals is acceptable to this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to find ways to do things better, to improve the way in which we conduct ourselves as a government in every way, wherever there is a possibility for improvement. It is always our commitment, to try to find ways to run government in a more efficient, accountable way. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.