Mr. Speaker, I don't know of any other departments where this is happening, but since we became aware of this issue, I can assure you that we'll make sure that every department knows that this cannot happen. If it is not exceeding the authority, it certainly seems to be going around some of the authorities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Premier what measures he could put in place to ensure that this would not happen again, where employees of the public service would be awarding contracts that, it would appear, neither Ministers nor the Executive Council had the opportunity to approve the money they've paid out. Surely there are some checks and balances missing here in the system. Could he just be a little more specific as to what he could put in place to ensure this wasn't happening, because this happened over a long period of time repeatedly? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I'll say that this did happen in one division within one department over a long period of time. We're aware of it now, and we will certainly be providing direction to deputy ministers that this cannot happen, and that there will certainly be serious consequences to people continuing to do this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through the payment process, or some other process, is there an actual mechanical system that could be put in place that would ensure that this doesn't happen again? I mean, just to tell the public service "Don't do this anymore" doesn't really offer me the kind of reassurance that I'm looking for. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, if there is an inadequacy or a vacuum in some of the directives that we have with regard to payments, then we will correct that. I've read the report, but I'm not sure whether or not something has been violated at this point, or whether there's simply an opportunity there where people can circumvent the system. In any case, we want to ensure that this does not happen anymore. If there is need for more clarification on the directive, then we will provide that to all of the departments and deputy ministers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a very large public service, and the government is a very large customer for these kinds of consulting services. What kind of a tool would the Premier be prepared to put in the hands of his Ministers to deal with this? He said there would be severe consequences, or serious consequences, if this occurs again. What kind of tool would he put in the hands of his Ministers to deal with people who would circumvent the approval of the Minister and the Executive Council for these sole sourced contracts? Would he tell the Minister that they could fire the person that did it? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I think the first step is to make sure that our directives or regulations are airtight. Then if deputy ministers or their staff are

circumventing those or ignoring them, then, yes, it could potentially lead to a firing. Mr. Speaker, we would have to look at each case to determine whether this was done inadvertently, or whether it was intentional, but certainly intentional disregard for directives, regulations, rules, legislation we operate by could lead to termination of a job. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the honourable Premier. As a Member of Cabinet, I'd like to know what specific information the Premier had at his disposal in order to make an informed decision on the relocation of the TTC. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, all of Cabinet would have been given information by the Minister at the time. It's been some months since that decision was made. The Cabinet information we have is confidential, but I can assure you that every piece of information available to us was considered by all Cabinet Ministers, including myself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Premier if the information that was provided by the Minister was the only information that Cabinet was entertaining before they made a decision. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, our decisions with Cabinet are made based on information that is brought forward by the Minister who is bringing a decision paper forward. Of course, all of us have other information that we're hearing from MLAs, that we're hearing from committees, that we hear from the public. All of that is taken into consideration in making the decision, but it's primarily based on a decision paper, but not solely on that document. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Provided in that information from the Minister of Health and Social Services to Cabinet, was there any type of disclosure of any kind of consultation? God forbid that took place amongst the Regular Members, or anybody else, for that matter, or was the Cabinet strictly steered by the Minister of Health and Social Services on this initiative? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.