Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Minister mentioned a secretariat. Is there a lead department that is taking part in it, or is there an interagency committee that is coordinating the government directorates, particularly with the schooling and educational records that are kept by our government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, there is not an intergovernmental agency. Education, Culture and Employment is responsible for ensuring that student records are provided on a timely basis to applicants or the individuals who ask us for their records. They are doing that. I have committed to the House already in previous questions here or during this session that the Ministers of the social envelope or the Ministers of Social Programs committee will consider this request to work together. We will ensure that we are operating a coordinated response where that is appropriate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government has indicated publicly as well that they will be clawing back any residential school payment program. Is this an actual policy that is already in place, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right; all income security programs will exempt the lump sum payments.

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The social assistance regulations require amendment in order to accommodate that. That amendment has not been completed yet, but work on rewriting the regulation is underway and will be done before the payments are issued.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to hear that the government is very receptive and

supportive of the lump sum payment program. In particular, there will be many elders that do not need to be taxed or clawed back. Is there an office, a particular number or a contact in our government that can help anybody that is looking for details for this particular residential lump sum payment program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Because this is a federal program, the best number to call is the Indian Residential Schools Canada helpline, which is 1-800-816-7293. I think that, for the public, is the most important number for them to call because they need to contact that number in order to find out how to access the forms, the applications and so on. Applicants do not need to have verification of attendance before applying for this compensation. The first call should be to the commission to make sure that they get their applications in. Once they file their application, then verification of attendance will be required. That is when they need to contact us to get the verification of attendance. In order to find that number, they can either use one of the regional offices to find the appropriate number or use our web site. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question I have is for the honourable Minister of Human Resources, Floyd Roland. I wanted to ask the Minister in terms of the government's policy regarding government employees who bid on government contracts. I want to know what the policy states. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister responsible for FMBS, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when an employee of our government wants to seek employment outside of their normal work, they would have to seek approval from the deputy responsible for their department and get the okay from that level. Before a government employee can work outside of their normal working hours, they need to seek that approval in writing from the deputy of that department. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's response. What is the process for this government that may call into question in regards to the approval for that department to give their government employees the clearance to bid on government contracts? Will the Minister consider reviewing that policy, because right now it is a concern for one of my constituents in the Sahtu region? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this comes up from time to time. For example, in some of our smaller communities where we have some trained staff in the communities, whether it is to do with work with heating systems and homes or repairing vehicles, if there are no other contractors available in that community, then they are asked to do that type of work. That is where this provision comes from. Because it is available to all employees, it is as well used in the larger centres. What we would look at, for example, is if there is competition in the community or potential conflict with their workload, what they're doing and the job that they're seeking. So it's something that each deputy would have to take into review before giving authorization for that employee to work outside of the government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's an issue here that, with this work being done in my region, that there is a health competition and there is no other contract or other kind of expertise done in this situation, which is totally against what's happening in Norman Wells, in my region, in regard to a recent contract that has been awarded to two government employees that has taken away the livelihood of one person. Now, this is shameful. I would ask the Minister if he would consider this. It's a shameful tactic on government. It's a shameful excuse of this government to do this to one of my constituents. This is a sole income for this person here that's given by a government people. It's sensitive and I want to raise this today with the Minister. Will the Minister reconsider this contract that's currently under review? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated, the issue of the employee of the Government of the Northwest Territories seeking employment outside of their responsibilities, ultimately a decision is made by the deputy of that department to give them the okay. Once that's granted, they're free and clear until an issue may come up that has to be addressed again. It's a case-by-case review by the deputy. I will provide the actual policy, to be clear to the Member, that deputies would have to use. Thank you.