Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what is stopping the Premier and this government from communicating to Ottawa that the money they are taking from us should be set aside for us in the future? Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the negotiations that we have with the federal government are three-way negotiations between ourselves, the Aboriginal Summit and the federal government. The Aboriginal Summit, in late January, advised us that they wanted to hold off any further negotiations until April because they were selecting a new negotiator. So we have not had an opportunity to raise this with our northern partner, governor, that's on this. As soon as negotiations resume, then I will be asking that we put this on the table for consideration. But it is not something that we can do unilaterally, we have to work with the other partners. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Premier for his response. I know he mentioned it, but I would like to get a commitment from him that he will raise this with our partners and that it will be on the agenda. Thank you.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will raise it with the Aboriginal Summit when we have the opportunity to have both sides meet at negotiations. Thank you.

Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland. They are to do with my Member's statement with regard to a record of employment. As I have stated in my Member's statement, this has gotten to be a bit of a problem. I have received complaints from a number of my constituents now that have experienced this, and the length of time it takes for them to get their record of employment after being employed with the GNWT. I would like to ask the Minister if he is aware of this problem and if there have been other complaints about this before. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the problems in the area of records of employment. I have, in fact, dealt with a number of cases that have come across my desk. It is something that I have asked the staff to look at in trying to shorten time frames and meet our requirements. Part of the problem is that each department in the regions and communities have that information and have to initially put out the forms and send them into our department. So we are going to be working on trying to improve that. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated in my Member's statement, the rules under HRDC are that records of employment have to be submitted within five days of the termination of employment. Do those rules apply to the territorial government? Are they the same as they are for other employers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, they do apply to us. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, do the records of employment all come from FMBS for the Government of the Northwest Territories or do other departments put them out? Do they all come through the same department? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding of the process is that when the employee is going to leave, they inform their immediate supervisor in the department of whatever department they are working for, and that initiates the process of getting the paperwork done, then it flows through to FMBS. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I noted in my Member's statement as well, this is a hardship for some folks that have a family and if they are not getting this record they can't draw employment insurance. So could I get a commitment from the Minister that he will communicate that to all of the departments to try and speed this process up so that we rectify this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I understand that it does cause some hardship to those families that don't have a lot of funds to use between jobs. We will be working with the departments to ensure that we pick up on that process and improve on it. Thank you.