Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Honourable Charles Dent, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in regard to income support. Although RWED is mentioned in my opening remarks, it
will relate to income support. RWED has a harvesters' assistance program in the Beaufort-Delta region. My understanding of this program is to assist hunters and trappers to purchase equipment, et cetera, for their harvesting and wild game and subsistence use. The local HTAs administer the funds and decide who is eligible for assistance. This program has proven to be successful in that hunters and trappers are able to purchase equipment and to maintain their traditional pursuits, especially for those who cannot afford to purchase equipment, et cetera.
Mr. Speaker, recently I heard that income support workers in the Beaufort-Delta are including this as part of their calculation in income support when harvesters apply for income support. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if he's aware that his department is penalizing some harvesters in receiving their income support payments because of the harvesters' assistance program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.