Mr. Chairman, I think that's the problem. I think six months is a little too long before somebody...By the time six months is up, it could be fire season and they could be going into fire fighting or something, or getting seasonal employment during the summer at a lodge or someplace else. If somebody gets on stream in November and then after April, they will qualify in May, during the seventh month. But if they do find employment, particularly in May for fire fighters who may be on income support during the winter, I disagree and I'm not in favour of the way it's being administered now. I think six months is a little too long. I wonder if the department could look at that component of income support, and maybe lower it to perhaps three months, as the Minister first suggested but then he was corrected by his DM, and it's six months now. I think that's a little too long in order for you to qualify for clothing. What are you going to do for six months if you have a lot of kids and they're just living day to day and not getting new clothes for their kids for six months? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We can have a look at it. Recently there has been a consultation process that we've undergone with people across the North on our strategic plan. I would be interested in seeing, as we go through the data, whether or not any comments came out about that.

I suspect that the theory behind the six-month stipulation is that people come into the program, they have the clothing that they're wearing when they come into the program, and the reason for it happening every six months is that there's an understanding that kids grow out of clothing and people wear clothing out. So there is a portion of the funding each month that is not just all for food; it's for food and clothing and sundry goods. So the monthly amount is intended to cover the day-to-day things. The every six-month funding is to cover the over and above, because your wardrobe does wear out. That's one of the reasons for it.

So, yes, we could take a look at changing the time, but we would have to then come back to the House probably for more money.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Zoe.

If he does, I would support that particular Minister. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. We're on page 9-35, income security, grants and contributions, grants, total grants, $8.478 million.

Pages 9-36 and 9-37, income security, active positions. Any questions? Agreed? Page 9-37, income security, active positions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Chairman, active positions on income support under the Tlicho heading, we have only one full-time and one part-time. Could I ask the Minister where these two positions are located? I think the Tlicho region requires more than one-and-a-half positions to serve the four Dogrib communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe that both positions are in Rae. It's two equivalent positions, so it's equivalent to full-time equivalents. Given the caseload in the Tlicho region, that's not an unreasonable number when you compare the numbers that we have through regions across the Territories. There is not a big caseload in the Dogrib region. There are not a lot of people who are on income support. The economy has really dramatically impacted the numbers in the whole North Slave region that are collecting income support at present.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is an issue, I know, in some regions. For instance in the Sahtu, the caseload there only requires having one worker in the whole region. So that means that they have to go the communities. They're based in Norman Wells, and they have to get to Tulita, Deline and Colville. But given the numbers who are collecting income support in that region, that's all we can justify, because there isn't enough to keep more than that person busy. That's the situation we find in the Tlicho region, as well. If there are people who aren't being served, maybe we need to work with bands to find a way to improve communication so that it doesn't necessarily increase the number of trips that they're making to some of the smaller communities. If we can find a way to work with a band council or a community council, we're certainly prepared to examine what the options might be.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Page 9-37, income security, active positions.

Page 9-38, lease commitments - infrastructure.

Page 9-39, student loan revolving fund.

Page 9-40, detail of funding allocated to education authorities. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question on the Beaufort-Delta Divisional Education Council. It has declined from $23,997 to $23,881. Is that simply because of teaching positions? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Minister.