Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some questions as to the thrust of the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy. I understand that it is still under development, but I would like to talk about some of the partnership arrangements. Specifically, he indicates that there is participation of RWED but also he is working with the federal government in developing this program. I am very interested in this program, but I am wondering if the Minister could tell us which federal departments he is currently working with in developing this program?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I should state that the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy is a territorial program that we are developing as a territorial government. The reference the Member may be thinking of is the Human Resource Development Plan. That is a plan that we submitted to both the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and the Department of Human Resources Canada. We are in continuing consultations and discussions with those particular departments on a federal level, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Bell.

Thank you. Specifically to the Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy, I am wondering which federal departments are being worked with. Unless it is being used in generic terms here, it says "Activities to maximize northern employment will be undertaken." It also indicates the federal government is participating in this. I guess maybe maximizing northern employment is the broad, generic term and Maximizing Northern Employment Strategy is a specific thing that is the GNWT and they are two separate things. Is that in fact the case? Or are federal government departments involved? Are they being consulted in the development of our strategy?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, for maximizing northern employment, there is input by the federal government into the oil and gas areas as well. They do provide funding in other locations. Perhaps I could call on Mr. Cleveland to address that question as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Cleveland.

Thank you, Mr. Cleveland. Mr. Bell.

Thank you. One of the areas I am interested in learning more about -- and maybe also concerned about -- is this idea, and I have spoken about it before, of guaranteeing jobs that the Premier spoke of: teachers, nurses, northern trained students in these occupations getting guaranteed positions. Also, we will be looking to guarantee jobs in other high demand occupations. I have some concerns.

First off, I do not know what we are going to consider as high-demand occupations, which ones will take priority. Will some get left behind? I guess, as to the guaranteeing of jobs, we will see how this shakes out. I am not sure exactly what it is going to mean. I asked about the federal departments. The deputy has indicated that DIAND and HRDC are the two departments being consulted with. One of the thoughts I have had is that possibly the guaranteeing of jobs is a fine idea, but we will wait and see.

One other program that I am aware of in the federal Department of Industry is an initiative to hire recent graduates of universities. They offer private corporations a rebate on recent new graduate hires. For instance, they will help to pay the salary, up to 50 percent of the salary, for a new graduate working in the technology sector for up to six months. It seems like a very interesting concept and probably a good program.

One of the thoughts I have had is that instead of getting into this guaranteeing of jobs, why do we not offer rebates to the private sector for hiring recent graduates? That way, recent graduates would indicate people who are just finished school and looking to get into the workforce in the North. We do not make the distinction, for instance, that says, "Well, we are going to guarantee jobs for nurses. Social workers? No, this is another story. You are out on your own." This way we just say, "You are a recent graduate. We are going to give the employer an incentive to hire you." Specifically, this program I am talking about is provided by the federal Department of Industry, not DIAND or HRDC.

I think if we limit ourselves to DIAND and HRDC, we may be missing out on a lot of good ideas and opportunities for programs which we might be able to piggyback on.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, that is a very good point. I appreciate the Member bringing that forward. We can certainly look into that.

Our particular programs are being flushed out. We anticipate that we will be in a position by March 31st to have some clarity to this particular area. As I mentioned yesterday, we will share the information once we finalize this and once I can get it through Cabinet. I can certainly sit down with the Members through their committees to discuss it.

We are looking at the private sector as well as the public sector for employment opportunities, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Mr. Bell.

Thank you. I would like to thank the Minister for that commitment to consult with us before the program is finalized. I am sure that he can relate, having been a Regular Member in the past, to the frustration Regular Members feel and experience in trying to explain programs to their constituents that they have no prior knowledge of and basically, their constituents end up getting program information at the exact same time this side of the House does.

In a consensus government, it is not my feeling that is the way that it is supposed to work, and it does in some indications of it. We have had examples of that come to light today.

I want to thank this Minister for committing to consult with the Regular Members so that we can bring the concerns of our constituents to him and hopefully work with him. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Mr. Ootes, any comments on that?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member's comments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. We are on page 9-9, Education, Culture and Employment, directorate and administration, operations expense, total operations and expenses, $4,818,000. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a question on the dollars and where we see compensation benefits and other expenses. Is this the total figure of dollars held in headquarters, or is there some of the other funding pools held at headquarters that further disseminate out to boards?

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is funding for the directorate of the department only.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand what is down here, but control of more funding to education boards...where would the department have funding identified that it holds at headquarters and then for application from education boards?

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Ootes.