Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess with the new vision of the human resource services for the GNWT, it says connecting our clients to provide leadership and excellence in human resource management. Mr. Speaker, one of the operating principles of that vision is that they will support managers in the recruitment and retention of a capable, competent public service that is representative of the people it serves and that focuses on results. So I'm just wondering, is the Minister going to make a commitment to the residents of the NWT, especially the aboriginal affirmative action candidates in the government, that they are going to be getting fair and equitable representation in Management Assignment Program positions, in any management program that this government is looking to fill.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, affirmative action is something that this government takes seriously and we are working to continue to improve on what we are able to do at this point. That's one of the reasons why the Human Resource Service Centre idea is one that we feel will bring some positive results. Right now, each department is doing their own thing with different interpretations on the same rules. If we pool these human resource service staff together, they will not only support each other in the work they do, but the interpretation will be the same amongst all service centres. At the end of the day, it will still be the managers who have to manage and account for the final hirings that do go on.

That is something that was of concern to all departments, that we did not go back to the days of Personnel and did all the hiring and so on with employees across the government in the whole of the Northwest Territories. It is something we're working on. We intend to improve on what we have available. At the end of the day, it's going to be how we best fit those who apply for the jobs, what type of educational criteria they have and background they have for the jobs they apply on. Again, affirmative action is something that is to support the people of the North getting into those positions, but we have to ensure that they can do the job first of all. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have, as I've indicated to the Member, already written to the federal Minister. I will, if an opportunity presents itself...Perhaps since we will be in Ottawa in April, we may have an opportunity to put the case face to face to the federal government. I have also communicated with the MP for the Northwest Territories, Mrs. Ethel Blondin-Andrew, to express concern about this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister inform this House if he has talked to other Members across Canada who have maybe a similar situation in terms of the funding for the Metis people under this program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure if other jurisdictions would have this issue, because in the Northwest Territories it's a unique situation

where we deliver the program on behalf of the federal government. Normally the federal government provides the funding to bands across Canada. It's not delivered by governments. I could look into whether or not the Yukon is doing it, because that might be the only other jurisdiction where a similar approach would be happening. If that is the case, then I would be quite pleased to work with the Minister from the Yukon collectively.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's a crying shame in this day and age that the...

Crying shame.

...crying shame that we're to get our people into education and college programs and university programs and this policy is stopping a lot of people in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask what other alternative plans this government is doing in terms of ensuring that Metis people have the same capacity or same ability to enter into university or college programs as the Dene or Inuit. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT offers programs that are available to everybody, whether they're Metis, aboriginal or non-aboriginal, for adult literacy and basic education. Those courses are offered through the college and in the last year have been offered in 25 of 33 communities. So the government is committing a significant amount of money, somewhere in the area of about $3 million a year for this kind of programming across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, then I guess I'm wondering why this government is in the same boat as the federal government in terms of even though we administer the UCEP program, we're following the same policy. So we are also discriminating against the Metis people in the Northwest Territories. We're in the same boat, I guess. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

No, I'd disagree with the Member. We do not discriminate. Our programs are available to everybody in the Northwest Territories. Our programs are available for everybody. If the Member is suggesting that we should give UCEP back to the federal government then we could do that, but it would probably mean that there would be less money available in the Northwest Territories. Our programs, the ones offered by the GNWT, are universally available to all members of the public. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've been talking a lot on this side of the House today about discrimination. I'd like to talk about the way this government treats casual and term employees. In an earlier set of questions, the Deputy Premier indicated that we're not even including the casual employees who are going to be losing their jobs as a result of the actions taken in Hay River. I'd like to ask Mr. Roland, the Minister, what's the purpose of hiring people on a casual and term basis in this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Roland.